Flower of Tears
by moonpower02
Summary: AU—It was never touched, it stayed dormant, but after a night at the theater it awoke and now, in her final year of high school, her life would never be the same. With some help from a mysterious singer and new feelings for a cute blonde.N/F pairing.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **_**Alright, this story is a little different then most I have written in the past, and I hope you like it. The main couple of the story is Nanoha/Fate, and special Appearance form a character from Card Capters. I hope you enjoy.**_

**Flower of Tears**

**By**

**Black Rose**

**Chapter One- Fallen Angel**

It was a cool night, and there was a light rain falling. A black limo pulled up to a theater. The bellman walked to the limo and opened the side door as a young woman with long copper-red hair stepped out. She was wearing a long black dress. She smiled at the bellman as she stepped onto the sidewalk. Her name was Nanoha Takamachi. She was nineteen, and in her last year of high school. She glanced at the theater and sighed. A young man with blond hair and green eyes walked up to her. He had on a black tuxedo and was wearing glasses.

"What's wrong?...You're the one who wanted to come to the theater," he told her with a friendly smile.

"I know that Yuuno," she replied, glancing at him. She knew that it was her idea. She had always wanted to go to an opera, so when he had asked her what she wanted for a graduation present, she told him she would like to go to the theater. He got tickets for tonight's show, but something just didn't feel right.

"Well, let's try to have fun, alright? Besides, it's not every day you get to do this," he said, trying to make the most of what he had, and then offered his arm.

Nanoha smiled nicely at him, and took his offered arm. They neared the entrance of the theater. As they made their way through the lobby, they could see all different types of people talking or just trying to find their seats. As they headed for the main auditorium they ran into Nanoha's best friends Suzuka, who had purple hair and was wearing a light red dress, and Arisa, who had blond hair and was wearing a light purple dress. They talked to each other for a few minutes and then parted ways. Nanoha's friends walked over to the stairs that led to balcony seats, while Nanoha and Yuuno started over towards the ground floor seats. As they entered with everyone else, they could see a large stage with full facilities for the use of extensive scenery and a pit large enough for a full-sized orchestra. The auditorium was u-shaped with the length of the sides determining the audience capacity. The thing that stood out the most was the giant glittering chandelier in the middle of the room.

The copper redhead pointed it out to her friend; he just smiled at her as they made their way to their seat. As everyone got setted and quiet. Nanoha looked through the directory to see who was playing who. The play was called Fallen Angel and the lead in the play was the famous singer and writer of the play Madison Taylor. From what the paper said it was about a woman that fell in love but couldn't have her love return because she wasn't a mage.

The lights started to dime, and everyone turned their attention to the stage. The curtain opened up and the show began. A woman with very long light purple hair came out from the right side stage. She was wearing what looked to be a maid costume, from the other side of the stage there came a woman in a princess costume with short blond hair. They walked towards the middle of the stage.The maid turned to the audience and started to sing a beautiful melody. As the story kept moving along, people could tell it was about a young woman who was always at her best friend's side throughout her life. When the two characters were in princess class a boy came into the picture, and that is when the girl met boy and after the Final Judgment fight song, there was a intermission. As everyone got up, Nanoha felt something pull at her heart. She moved her hand to her chest. She then felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced around to see Yuuno smiling at her.

"What are you looking at?" he asked scanning around the area for the point of interest.

"Oh, its nothing just thought someone was watching me, but I think its my mind's playing tricks on me," she replied with a cute smile on.

"Alright, why don't we get something to drink, before the second act begins," he offered. The red head nodded her head and they started towards the lobby area. There was also some people at the concession stand, getting a drink, or a little snack. Yuuno told her that he would get them some drinks. As he left her, she felt the pull at her heart again.

"_What is going on, I feel like my soul is being pulled in different ways." _she thought.

"Nanoha, you alright?" asked a kind and worried voice.

The red head turned around to see Suzuka. "Yes, I'm doing alright, were is Alisa?" she asked glancing around for her other friend.

"Oh, she went to ladies room, she will be right back," answered her friend.

It didn't take long for Alisa returned, and the three started talking about the play and what they like about it. Meanwhile, Yuuno was in line at the concession stand. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned his head and saw a young woman with long pretty blond hair. She wore a silver silky dress. She had the most haunting red eyes.

"Fate?" he asked with a confused, and a little quited worried voice.

She just smiled at him friendly.

"Hello, Yuuno it's been some time," she stated with a clam happy voice.

He glanced at were his date was, and saw that she was talking to her friends happily.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked getting to the point.

"My brother would like to talk to you about something," she stated little like this was boring to her.

"You may think its boring, but if she found out what we are, then we will all in trouble," he stated a little upset with the blond.

"Well anyway, he would like to talk now," she stated as in oder and point to the wear her brother was.

"I'll let your date know that your talking to a friend," she replied with a kind smile.

"Thanks," he replied and started to walk to were his friend some what was.

When Yuuno was out of site, Fate walked over to his date, she knew who they were. Nanoha, Alisa, and Suzuka, they were all in the same year of high school, but they didn't talk much because they all had different friends.

"Hello, Ladies," Fate stated get the girls to turn and look at her. As the three turned around, Fate forgot how to breathe at the site of the red head. Her heart skipped a bet.

The three girls were a little shocked about who was talking to them.

"Fate?" asked Nanoha with a confused voice. She was also having a hard time breathing, and it had happened again, the pull to her heart. She closed her eyes and moved her hand to her chest. It left as fast as it came. She reopened her eyes and saw a very worried Fate but her face told you that she was just looking at her weird. As for her other friends they asked if she was feeling alright, or if she need some water.

"I'm fine, But I could use some water, were is Yuuno he said that he was going to get something to drink for us," she replied glancing around for her friend.

"Yuuno, oh my brother need to talked to him about something,he should be right back," replied Fate

"Oh," was all Nanoha could say, and thought it was weird, but just shrugged.

"Well anyway enjoy the rest of the play ladies, and Nanoha love the dress, but I think you look a lot better in white," she stated with a wink and then walked away back to where she came from.

As for the red head she felt her face heat up a little. For sometime now she felt a little sad when she saw Fate in the halls or in a class that they had together. She always looked so happy around her friends or even her brother and mother, but her eyes always showed sadness.

There was a one time that she saw happiness in her eyes and that was when they got paired up in gym class, those other girls didn't have a chance at all. She smiled at the thought, but could keep her eyes off the blond until one of her friends told her that she was blushing. She then turned and giggled a little.

While all this was going on Yuuno walked over to Chrono, who was leaning on a wall in the hallway.

"Yo, Ferret boy," Chrono called out with a sarcastic voice.

"Don't call me that, what did you need?" he asked getting to the point.

The black haired man glanced around with his eyes. Then turned back to the blond with a stone face.

"Right, look, it seems that one of the Jewel Seeds that we have been looking for could be in this theater, so if..." he left in hanging while looking around.

The blond looked unconformable because he knew that they had the power to make any person wish come true"So what do we do, if it does come to life?"

"Well for the time being, we do nothing, but if it does, we need to seal it as fast as we can, and also Hayate's team is looking for them too," he told him.

They then heard someone walking down the hallway, as the person got closer they could tell it was Fate coming to join them.

"They play is about to start up again, you better get back to her," she told Yunno.

"Right, thanks, see you guys later," the other blond stated and started back to his date.

Fate glanced at her brother and saw worry, and she too felt it. They then started back to there box sets. As Yuuno walked back into the lobby he could see his date still talking to her friends. He smiled at that but didn't knew what she would think if she found out that what he was trying to find. As he walked up to them, they stopped and turned to him.

"Is everything alright, Yuuno?" asked his date.

He just nodded and smiled at her. She smiled at him in return. One of the door men told everyone that was left in the lobby that the play was about to started. They said their goodbyes and then head back to their seats. The lights started to dime, and everyone turned their attention to the stage again. As the play started to show the princess becoming a queen and become a full mage. The Princess's maid and best friend just watch from the side line not being able to help her secret love. Some of the woman and man started to cry very softly. As it started to get closer to the final act, the light purple actress who was playing the maid and best friend walked slowly to the front of the stage as the people play the Queen and King walked off stage.

She wore a pretty dress and had on a grayish black cloak that covered her. She slowly removing the hood part. She turned to the audience her. She had on a very sad face on ,but if any one saw her eyes, they would see you the true story, her eyes had a haunted look to them. She then closed her eyes, and opened her eyes again. The orchestra started to play the final song. As she started to sing, Nanoha's head begin to throb, and her eyes dilating in pain. The pull was back it was getting worse as the song keep going.

"_master" _something said in her head

Yuuno saw his date put her hand to her head, and looked to be in pain. Before he could ask if she was alright, the stage caught on fire, and the orchestra stopped playing to get out of there. People started to panic. He glanced real hard into the fire and saw something he wish he didn't, it was a Jewel Seed. He glanced around quickly, and saw people trying to get out. By this time the actress just slowly walked off the stage as if this was nothing new. What he didn't see was that she was watching Nanoha the whole time. He saw Alisa and Suzuka coming up to them. He smiled a little. He saw that Chrono and Fate were already on their away to the stage, he knew that he needed to help them.

"Alisa,Suzuka, take Nanoha and get out side, I'm going to make sure everyone get out alright," he told them. He wanted to say something to his date but she looked like to be into much pain to say anything back. The two girl nodded and started to help her friend out. Its was a real mad house. People were trying to get out fast but it wasn't helping with this many people. As they got to the lobby, Nanoha opened her eyes a little. It was getting to hot in here,and she need to get out. Bad! She saw a side door that lead to a alleyway, she pushed out of her friends arms and ran to the door with all her might.

She didn't hear her friends yell at her not to go that way, but it was too late, and people were pushing her friend to the front. As she went through the side door, and out into the rain, but as soon as she got out there her body fell in to a pain in like she as never felt. Her chest was in pain and her heart kept speeding up. She then fell over and knock over a trash can. She didn't knew how long she was in pain but it felt like an eternity to her. She then heard it again.

_"Master!" _and it was get louder, and louder_._

Finally the red head couldn't take it anymore, the next thing she saw was darkness.

A soft glow started to wrap around her as she fell to the ground.

Back in the theater Fate, Chrono and Yuuno had their hands filled with this Jewel Seed, it had taken over a person's body who was part of the orchestra. The person didn't have a clue on what was going on, or what he was doing, but he did knew how to fight.

"Man, if we use too much magic we could kill him, but if we don't he'll die anyway," stated Chrono.

The other two nodded their understanding, Yuuno cast a struggle bind to keep the man in one place while Fate and Chrono attacked and hoped not to kill the poor man. Before their weapons can even get close to its target, a white flash appears in front of them and a powerful wave of magic knocks the three down on to the the floor. As the light dimes. There stud a beautiful woman with a white-silvery dress with a single black rose on its side with black petals moving across her dress. Her hair was in pink ties, and she also wear a black mask that covered her eyes and her identity. What they notices the most was the pair of elegant and very stunning angel wings on her back. They had a hint of gold on the tips of the wings. In her left hand was a staff and was pointing it at the three people.

"He shall not die," she stated with a little anger in her voice, and also a quiet misty voice.

_"Please use Divine Shooter, master_" her staff told her. The mystery woman just nodded her head and repeated the words. Over one hundred small magical ball appeared out of know where. They started to fly at the three other people, they didn't have much time to put up their protection spell.

"Who the hell is that?" asked Chrono

"I don't have a clue," replied Yuuno

As for Fate she keep watching the hole time, but part of her was thinking how beautiful she was and how it remind of her of Nanoha. She shock her head.

"_Sir, alright?" _Asked Bardiche

She told it she was and that they need to find a way around this balls but the problem was that they never stop coming they keep coming and coming. As the three kept on the defensive, the mystery woman walked over to the man that had a Jewel Seed in him. He was still in the struggle bind, and was trying with everything he had to get out.

"Don't worry, you well be fine," she stated with a happy voice.

She then moved her right hand to his head, and closed her eyes.

"Alright, you had your fun, now come on out," she started as she was talking to a child who was playing hide and seek.

The man started to scream and then fell to the ground out cold. A little crystalline Jewel flowed above the man. The woman smiled at it, and looked at her staff.

"_Master, Seal?"_

"Is that what I need to do?" she asked her staff looking at it with a confuse face

"_Yes, Master"_

_"_ Then please seal it"

_"Jewel Seed Seal"_

The red jewel in the middle of the he staff started to glow, and the crystalline Jewel flowed over to the red one and disappear into it.

"_Sealed, master"_

"Thank you"

"_Welcome"_

Then there was a big bang behind her. She smiled evilly and slow turned around. It looked like they got out of her spell. The three looked like hell, but were ready to keep going.

"Who are you, and what have you done with the Jewel Seed?" asked the man with dark blueish black hair, holding his staff in a defensive way as was his sister. They mystery woman smiled and said something that even confused them.

"I don't know, but I do know that there was a nicer way of getting that Jewel," she stated in her misty voice.

"If you have it give it to us, we know how to keep those thing safe for everyone," replied the male blond.

"_Sonic Form"_

The mystery angel just shock her head, she then moved her staff to the right side has a a blade of light came close to her side. The woman glanced at her side and saw the other blond trying to push her a little. She just smiled, but as soon as she looked in to the other woman eyes her head started to throb. Then they all heard rings hitting something. Her wings moved on their own and moved her away form the others, and then flowed in the air. Her wings started to flash. Then it happened they all started to hear rings again. Fate, Chrono and Yuuno turn to the the sound. Their in the door way was a woman with long gorgeous light purple hair. She had on a white and black kimono. She also had a straw hat which hided her face, also in her right hand was a shakujo, a staff with rings-shaped chimes set atop it.

"That well do for now, White Devil," the person stated with a kind and understand voice.

The wings covered the woman in the air and then in a flash of white light, she disappeared. The three couldn't believe what was going on. They then turned back to the other woman and found that she was also gone.

"What was that all about?" asked a very confused Yuuno

"I don't know, but we need to find out, I'll call the Captain and ask her if she knows anything about these new players," replied Chrono.

The other two just nodded, and used a transporter spell to get to the ship. While that was happening in another part of town a white flash of light came and gone. In the middle of a lawn was a copper red head laying down on the grass getting rained on. She was naked but her long hair covered her body like a blanket.

After a while she started to hear foots steps. But she could move. She hear someone say to bring her inside, and put her in a worm bed. She felt someone pick her up, and carry her. She then felt her self being put in a warm bed, and darkness took over.

The same woman with the straw hat that was at the theater watched over the person sleeping in the bed, a maid came into the room.

"Mistress, she's good," she stated while taking the hat form her and her staff.

"Yes and she's going to be the best," her Mistress started with a kind and understanding smile.

As she watched the red head sleep she turned to the window and watched the rain. She thought about her best friend when she found out that she had powers. She slowly walked out of the room with her maid right behind her. She glanced at the sleeping woman in her bed, and closed the door behind them. The two of them walked into the living room. A fire was blazing in the fireplace and the warmth radiated heat throughout their bodies. The room was large and comfortable. Overstuffed chairs and long formal couches were placed in clusters. Pretty pillows of coordinating materials were on all of the pieces of furniture.

"Mistress, will we be haveing a guest for a while?"

Her mistress smiled at her friend, nodded, and glanced at the fire.

"Then, I well make some tea for you," she stated and bowing and left.

"Do you care for some help, Ms. Taylor?" asked a mystery voice in the shadows as soon as the maid was out of site.

"That would be very nice, thank you," she replied with a small smile on her face.

"Then I well be on my way," the mystery voice said.

As Madison watched the fire her maid returned with some tea, and she thanked her. Then the maid sat down on one of the chair enjoying the fire as well. The two were at peace and sat like that for the rest of the night.


	2. Change of Wings

**Flower of Tears**

**By**

**Black Rose**

**Chapter Two—Change of Wings**

**The wind was cold. A young redhead was glancing around. It looked like she was in the middle of a white crystal forest. The trees were full of snow, and it looked the same all around. She was wearing a nice white soft silk dress. **

_**"Master,"**_** spoke a soft and kind voice as if it was in the wind itself.**

**"Who's there?" she asked glancing around.**

**"**_**Master**_**," stated the kind voice again.**

**This time when the redhead turned around she saw a woman wearing the same dress as her; her back was to her and she could see a pair of angel wings.**

**"Master, please don't be afraid," she stated.**

**"Who are you?" she asked, feeling that she knew this woman.**

**"You know," the other woman stated.**

**The copper redhead thought about it, but it wasn't helping that it was cold. The wind started to pick up; Nanoha moved her hand to keep her long hair out of her face. The other woman was just standing there as if it didn't bother her and then she disappeared.**

_**"Mater, please don't be afraid—I am part of you," **_**The woman's voice said all around**_**.**_

**"Part of me..." Nanoha told herself, then everything started to fade.**

The sun was just rising. It was a cool morning for late September. A copper redhead stated to stir awake. She moved a little in the oversized bed. She opened her eyes a little to see that she wasn't in her room. She sat up quickly and glanced around. This wasn't her room, and, from the looks of it, whoever's room this was, was very well off.

**There was a large window that overlooked what she thought was the backyard, with a small pond. She glanced around the room. There was a long white oak dresser with a mirror above it that was on the far side of the room. There was also a nightstand with a cute little lamp next to the bed. She glanced down and saw that she was only wearing the sheet that she was holding up with her hand.**

**"**_**What a weird dream, and where am I?"**_** she thought to herself.**

**The door opened and a woman in a maid clothes walked in carrying a handful of whitish-blue clothes. She glanced at the bed and saw that her guest was up and looking very confused. She turned to her with a caring smile.**

**"Good morning, Miss" she said with a kindness in her voice.**

**Nanoha just nodded and watched as the woman with short brown hair put the clothes on the dresser.**

**"Why don't you get dressed and then I will take you to see my mistress," she told her with a smile to insure her that she wasn't in any danger. She then turned to leave to give her guest some time to change. Before she could walk out of the room, her guest started to speak.**

**"Wait, where am I?"**

**The maid turned her head to her, and told her that she was at her mistress' fall home, and not to worry—her family knew that she was alright. She then left the redhead to her thoughts, and to let her mistress know that their guest was up.**

**As the door closed, Nanoha just sighed, at least her family knew she was alright. She got out of the warm bed but kept the sheet with her. As she walked slowly around the bed and over to the dresser, the sunlight shone through the window was making the silk sheet sparkle. When she gazed at the nice looking clothes, she could tell that they were soft and shimmery. She let the sheet drop to the floor and started to put on the clothes. After she was done,she looked into the mirror. She had to nod her head. She had on a long whitish-blue shiny ruffle skirt, with a matching criss-cross tank top, and dark blue fall jacket. **

**She turned around; she looked good, if she said so herself. She glanced at herself one more time. Then it happened, just like last night she felt a pull on her heart; she moved her hand to her chest. She glanced back at the mirror and the mirror shattered into little pieces. Startled, she fell back and just stared at the broken mirror.**

**"How did that happen?" she asked herself out loud.**

**"Are you alright?" asked a quiet but kind voice.**

**Nanoha glanced to her side to see that someone had entered the room. It was the woman who sang at the theater last night, and behind her was the maid. They both walked in and while the maid started to pick up the broken shards of glass, the singer offered her hand to the redhead. **

**"Good morning," the singer stated with a kind voice as she helped the young girl to her feet.**

**"Thank you, Miss... " Nanoha stopped, trying to remember her name.**

**The singer just giggled a little. She glanced at the mirror, and her friend who was cleaning it up. Nanoha saw what she was looking at and felt bad.**

**"I'm so sorry—I don't know how it happened," she stated with a very sorry voice. **

**The light purple haired woman turned back to her guest, and smiled at her.**

**"Why don't we go to the dining room and get something to eat before it gets too late," she offered. **

**To say that the redhead was hungry would be an understatement, she just nodded and followed her out of the room and down the hallway. There were many paintings on the wall. Then they entered a large dining room with a nice table. There were two big windows, one on each side of the room—one looking out the back and the other looking out into the front yard where people were working on the yard. The purple haired woman sat down in one of the chairs that had a plate of food in front of it. **

**As she was about to start eating, she turned to her guest, and saw a very worried and confused person.**

**"Is there something wrong?" she asked, trying to help the little one out.**

**Nanoha nodded, but couldn't say anything. She wanted to know how she got here. She also wanted to know what had happened back in the room, and why in the hell were her chest and head starting to throb. The singer seemed to tell she was getting ahead of herself.**

**"Why don't you eat something before you ask your question," she stated with a calm voice and with a smile on her face. The redhead nodded and sat down on the other side of the table and after taking one bite, her eyes sparkled as she really enjoyed the meal. The singer just smiled at her, and started on her own meal.**

**After some time the maid returned and was happy to see their happy faces. She then took the pieces of broken glass into the kitchen to throw them away. When she came back, her mistress was done and just enjoying their guest as she finished her food. After Nanoha was done, the maid took the plates and walked back into the kitchen. The singer just smiled at her friend and head maid. She then turned her attention to the redhead.**

**"Now, what would you like to ask me?" the light purple haired woman asked.**

**Nanoha thought about what she wanted to ask, then opened her mouth.**

**"Who are you? I know you were the singer at the theater last night, but I can't remember what your name is," she stated, feeling a little bad that she couldn't remember.**

**The singer just smiled understandingly.**

**"My name is Madison Taylor, Miss... ?" she asked in return.**

**"Nanoha, Nanoha Takamachi," the redhead stated with a small bow of her head.**

**"It's nice to meet you Nanoha," the other woman replied with a kind bow in return.**

**Nanoha smiled and saw that the other woman was waiting for the next question. She thought about it and asked how she'd gotten here. The other woman just looked right into her eyes, and seemed to be looking for something.**

**"You don't remember?" she asked—it was simple question but it held a lot of power.**

**Nanoha just looked at her with a confused face. She closed her eyes and tried to remember. The last thing she remembered was that she ran away from her best friends, out a door and into an alleyway, and then darkness. The redhead just shook her head, and told the singer what she did remember and explained that she couldn't remember anything else. Madison just glanced at her, and then out the window. After thinking it over, she turned back to the redhead.**

**"Nanoha, I believe it would be best if you try to remember what happened last night," she told her with an understanding voice. Her voice also held a small sadness in it.**

**The redhead just looked at her, trying to think this through.**

**"Why, if you know how I got here, wouldn't it be better to tell me, so I would understand?" she asked. **

**The singer smiled at her with hope in her eyes.**

**"Well, all I know for sure is that I found you laying on the ground; you looked like you were in a lot of pain from what I could tell, so I asked my head maid to take you inside...." she stated to tell her when her head maid came back in. They both turned to see her smiling. **

**"Sorry to interrupt, but Miss Takamachi needs to be at school in a little while," replied the maid.**

**"Thank you, Renee please let the driver know that our guest will be out front in a little while," her mistress told her with a smile.**

**Renee just bowed and left to do as she was told. When she was gone the singer turned back to the redhead.**

**"Nanoha, there is a backpack over there with your basic school supplies," she told the young girl, pointing to a chair with it on it.**

**Nanoha felt this was too much to ask from a person she just met, but was grateful all the same. She was a little worried that she would be late for her first day of school.**

**"Thank you, I'll pay you back for everything you have done for me," replied the redhead with a small bow.**

**The singer just smiled, and told her that she didn't need to, and that she was very happy to help. Nanoha saw a loneliness in her eyes, the same look she had seen last night. She had only seen this with one other person, and that was Fate. It made her wish she could do something to help, but she didn't really know this woman, and Fate and her weren't really friends. They had some classes together and they were both seniors this year—other than that, they had two different types of friends. She sighed a little as she walked over to the chair, picked up the backpack, and pulled it over her shoulder. She then turned back to the singer, who was just smiling and waiting for her next to the door. She then walked over to the singer, and they both left the dining room and walked into a small hall and then down a flight of stairs to the front door. **

**Nanoha knew that house had to be big, but she didn't think it would be **_**this**_** big. She saw the head maid open the door and follow them out, closing the door behind her. **

**There was a cool light wind, but it felt nice. There was a white limo parked in front with a man standing at the door at the far end. After they walked down some stone stairs, they stopped a little ways from the limo. The singer turned to the redhead.**

**"Nanoha, this is Zero, he will be taking you to your school," she told her with a smile as she pointed to the young man who looked to be in his early thirties. He bowed. The redhead nodded in return.**

"**Also, before you head on your way, I would like you to have this," she stated and took the small box from her maid and opened it. In the box was an elegant white choker with a small perfect single red rose that was made out of a fine stone. **

**Nanoha was stunned, she didn't know what to say. She slowly moved her hand out, as if she didn't have any control over her own body. She took it out and very gently put it on. She then felt her heart jump. She glanced at the singer with a small smile.**

**"Thank you, but why?" she asked.**

**"I thought it would be best in your hands, also it should come in handy in the future," she stated with a little mystery to her voice. **

**Nanoha just smiled a little, not too sure what she was getting at, but bowed in thanks again.**

**Madison then nodded to the driver and he opened the door. Nanoha thanked them again, walked over to the limo, and got it. The driver closed the door and bowed to his mistress. In return she smiled at him. He then walked around, got in the driver's seat, and took off to the high school.**

**As the limo drove away, the singer and her maid just watched until it was out of sight. Renee glanced at her mistress and saw a very sad, yet happy, face. Then her mistress turned around and started back towards the front door. **

**"Mistress, will we be seeing the young Miss Takamachi again?" she asked as she opened the door to let her mistress in. Following her inside and closing the door behind her, she walked up to her friend who was heading to the library.**

**"I believe that we will, so let us have a guest room ready at all times," she stated with a kind smile. Her friend looked overjoyed and told her that she would get right on it. She turned around went to her work. Madison just giggled, walked into her library, sat down in one of the may seats and picked up the book she'd started yesterday. She glanced once outside and smiled a little.**

**"_She well understand in time, but for now I 'll watch over her," _she thought with a true smile.**

**As the limo drove to the high school, you could see that the leaves were changing colors. It was beautiful to watch as they drove. Nanoha just smiled at the sight. She still wished she could remember what had happened after she blacked out. She moved her hand to her choker, and felt the flower, and smiled. Something about wearing it just uplifted her soul. The driver glanced at her and smiled.**

**"Miss, Miss Taylor wanted me to tell you that if you need anything at all, please don't think twice about it, and give her a call," he stated as he handed the young woman a card. The copper redhead took it and thanked him. He smiled and told her not to worry about it, and that he was happy that he could help out his mistress. **

**Nanoha didn't know why, but it was a nice feeling that someone was trying to look after her. She knew that her family was looking out for her, and so were her friends, but just knowing that this kind singer was also thinking of her was just a nice thought, even if she didn't know why. She then glanced out the window and saw five young kids walking down the sidewalk.**

**"Driver, would you mind pulling over?" she asked him politely. **

**He glanced back and nodded his head. **

**As the limo pulled over, a young woman with short purple hair glanced at her best friend.**

**"Hey, Teana, who do you think is in there?" she asked, watching as the limo came to stop.**

**"How would I know?" the ponytailed redhead asked as the side opened and a very stunning, gorgeous young woman stepped out and smiled at them. Four of them had their mouths drop open, but a young eight-year-old with blond ponytails ran passed them, yelling.**

**"Mam....Nanoha!," she exclaimed, catching herself—she knew what she wasn't supposed to call her mama, but she has always felt that she was and knew one day she would be.**

**"Vivio," stated the happy woman, bending down to the young girl's height and giving her a hug. She knew the little one had slipped, but she knew that in a couple of months it would be true that she would be her mother. Some part of her didn't mind even now that she was calling her mother, but her family had made it clear as daylight that she wasn't allowed to adopt her until she had graduated high school. She glanced behind her soon-to-be daughter and saw her friends. Subaru—who was just looking funny with her mouth open—and her best friend Teana, who was trying to tell her to stop staring. They were entering high school, and then there was Caro, who had pink hair and just smiled, and then last was Erio who had dark redhair and had a small blush. They both were in middle school, and Vivio was in elementary. They all lived at the orphanage for different reasons. Nanoha helped out there now and then and that is where she'd met them.**

**She let go of the short blond and watched the others walk over to her. "Good morning, everyone," she stated with a smile on her face.**

**"Good morning ," they all replied at the same time.**

**"Nanoha, when did you get the limo?" asked Subaru, walking over to it and just glancing around it.**

**"It's a long story, but in short a singer from the theater helped me out last night, and so I wouldn't be too late, she asked her driver to take me, and then I saw you guys," she replied.**

**"Oh," was the reply they gave.**

**"I must say Nanoha that you like very nice today,"Erio stated, trying to look other places. **

**Caro just glanced at him with a shy look and tried to smooth out her long skirt. The copper redhead saw that, and told Caro that she looked very elegant. She blushed and nodded a thank you. The door opened and Zero walked over to them.**

**"Miss, you're going to be late if we don't get moving," he stated with with kind voice.**

**Nanoha glanced at him and nodded, she looked back and then thought of something—they all were going to be late.**

**"Zero would you mind if we took them with us, all the schools are very close to each other," she asked knowing that she shouldn't be asking, after all, he and his mistress had done so much for her already.**

**Zero could tell that she was worried, but knew his orders and smiled.**

**"It's no trouble Miss, now would everyone please get in," he replied and told the young man that it would be best to sit up front. Erio nodded and headed to the front with with dark haired man. After everyone was in they started on their way. The first stop was the elementary, where Nanoha hugged Vivio and told her to be a good girl. Vivio nodded and ran off to meet up with her friends. Next was the middle school, where Erio jumped out of the car and opened the door for Caro. She smiled nicely at him, trying to hide the blush that was coming and they headed to their class after saying goodbye to their friends and thanking the driver. Then finally they reached the high school. They could see that students were going in though the front gate. **

**The limo stopped in front and everyone stopped to see who was in it. The driver stepped out, walked over to the door, and opened it. Nanoha was the first out, and she turned some heads. Then Subaru and Teana followed. They walked behind the copper redhead until they had to head to the gym for the freshmen pep talk. Nanoha wished them luck, and headed to her locker.**

**As she walked, everyone was just watching her and she knew why—she'd never really had the kind of money to pay for clothes like these. She blushed when some of the guys started to yell cat calls at her and even some girls too... She finally made it to her locker and saw her best friends waiting for her. Her friends had to do a look twice. She giggled at them.**

**"You guys aright?" she asked opening her locker.**

**"Yeah, but what happened to you last night? We were very worried and when we called your house your family told us that you were safe, and that we would see you at school," stated Suzuka with a little tone in her voice, but Nanoha could tell she was just worried.**

**"I'm sorry about last night, but as to what happened last night, I don't remember what happened after I left you guys," she replied putting a book in her new bag, and closing her locker.**

**"You don't remember?" asked Alisa a little confused, but when she looked into her friend's eyes there was confusion there as well. Their friend just nodded, and they started towards the first class, which happened to be math, which all three of them were really good at it.**

**While all this was going on, Fate was in the front school yard next to a couple of trees, talking to her best friend Hayate about the night before. **

"So the captain didn't know who they were?" Hayate asked looking puzzled. She had read the report this morning before school and was still a little confused.

**"Yeah, and then she told us that we should just keep our eyes open, and if they show up again to not underestimate them," she stated with a bored voice.**

**Her golden-brown haired friend just giggled at her. She had know her, her best friend, from the time they were eight years old. She also knew her well enough to knew that this topic was boring her, and she too was bored with it.**

**"Well, anyway I'm just happy that you're alright," Hayate stated while glancing around. When she did her mouth dropped and her eyes widened. "WOW," was all that she could say.**

**Her blond friend glanced were her friend was looking; she dropped her school bag.**

**"Nanoha," the blond spoke very softly, not believing what she was seeing.**

**Nanoha was walking up to the school in the most gorgeous outfit she had ever seen on a woman. **

**"When did she get that outfit? She looks hot," replied Hayate, who saw that everyone else was doing what they were doing. She then glanced at her friend, who was picking up her school bag.**

**"I have no idea, and you're right she does look very elegant," replied Fate, keeping her head down trying to hide the blush that she knew was there. Hayate couldn't help it, she just smiled and giggled at her.**

**Then they heard some boys yelling cat calls at her, and Fate's face went stone cold, and Hayate had to hold her back from killing them.**

**Hayate knew deep down that Fate really liked Nanoha and not in the friendship kind of way either, but it only came out every so often, like now. Then her smile turned to a sad one, and she knew why. Even if they were allowed to date, it's hard because they were never really around that much, they went on missions and other things. They lived in a nice big house with Fate's and Chrono's mother, who was their captain.**

**After Fate got her anger in check, they both walked to their first class, which was English. They both sat down next to the window and waited for the teacher to start class. After the teacher started to talk about this year and what they were going to learn, Fate glanced outside. It was nice outside, and she wished she was outside enjoying it, but she knew that she couldn't. She then glanced at her best friend and saw her half paying attention to what their teacher was saying. She smiled at that—it was so like her to do that. She then went back to glancing outside. She then felt something, her head stated to hurt. She shook it off, and turned back to the teacher.**

**After awhile the bell rang for the end of class and the two friends said their goodbyes as they went to different classes; Hayate was on her way to gym while Fate was on her way to history class, where her secret crush would be. She always liked history, not that she loved to learn, but also she sat right behind the cute copper redhead. She smiled to herself. As she entered though she didn't like what she saw. There was her crush, sitting at her desk, and a bunch of guys were surrounding her. If Fate's eyes could turn any redder then they were, they would have. She walked over to them with an evil smile on her face. While she was walking she kept telling herself, "**_**if only I could use my magic**_**."**

**As for Nanoha, she was getting a little worried that these guys were getting a little too close to her and she knew that none of them really liked her, they just saw a pretty girl and that was all. She was trying to be nice, but this was getting to be too much. Her head begin to throb again, and she felt like either her choker or the red stone rose was on fire—she couldn't tell. She then heard a cough and the boys turned to see a very upset blonde. One of the boys just smiled at her and turned all the way around to face her.**

**"What's wrong, Harlaown, jealous?" he stated.**

**Fate just glanced at the redhead and saw that she had her hand on her head, and that made her even angrier. She then gazed back.**

**"No, but I suggest that you leave her alone from now on," she replied with a stone cold voice and her body was getting hot and she didn't know why. **

**"Why? This has nothing to do with you," one of the other males demanded.**

**"If you know what's good for you, you'll do what I say," she replied. She was starting to lose her patience.**

**The boys were now getting upset with her, because she was tell them what they should and shouldn't do.**

**"Who made you the boss, Harlaown?" the boy in front of her started to yell. By this time the whole class was watching because everyone knew that when the female Harlaown got upset a fight was more than likely to start. Fate lost it, and was about to punch the guy, even if she was outnumbered, but she always liked it that way, no one knew why, and only her brother and best friend could stop her, or if need be, help her.**

**"Fate, don't," stated a small quiet commanding voice that held a lot of power behind it. The next thing that happened scared the class—the vase on the teacher's desk shattered into small pieces, making everyone turn to the front. The flowers were gone, and there was water everywhere. Just then the teacher came in and saw that her vase was destroyed. She glanced over all her students and what she saw was fear, and it wasn't because of her. She slowly walked over to her desk and put her book down where there wasn't water. Turning back to her class, she saw looks of surprise and confusion. **

"Alright, would someone like to tell me why my flower vase has been destroyed?" she asked nicely. One of her students raised their hand.

**"Yes?" she asked the student.**

**The student told her that no one did it, and that it just happened. She also told their teacher that no one had been next to her desk and no one had thrown anything. The Teacher knew that this student never lied, so she just shrugged and told her class she would get the janitor, and that they were to start reading chapter ten and if they were not they all would get detention. The class very quickly got to their seats and opened their books. As Fate glanced back at the cute redhead she saw that she was breathing very hard. She stopped next to her desk.**

**"Nanoha, are you alright," she asked a little worried.**

**The copper redhead didn't even glance up at her. She just kept her head down and her hair was covering her face a little. A small smile was on her face but Fate couldn't really tell.**

**"Fate, thank you, but please don't start a fight because of me," she stated a little out of breath, she was also blushing.**

**Fate wanted to say something, but their teacher told her to take her seat. She did and took out her book and started to read. The blonde kept glancing at the redhead. She was a little worried about her; for one, she was still out of breath, and also it was the tone of her voice she used to stop her from hitting the guy. After a while she could tell that her breathing was back to normal.**

**As for Nanoha she was very confused, she didn't how it had happened. First she was flattered that Fate wanted to help her with the boys, and she thought it was very cute the way she got angry, but then she thought of them hurting Fate it made her heart break. She knew from what she heard in the girls' locker room, that Fate was one to fight other people if she was upset about something. She had to stop it before someone—and most of all, Fate—got hurt. Then her head started to throb, and her heart was beating rapidly. The next thing she knew, the teacher was asking how the vase got destroyed. She felt Fate right next to her, asking if she was alright, she felt a blush on her face, and just told her not to fight over her. **

**Thinking about what had just happened, Nanoha realized that even though she'd asked Fate to not fight, there was still some part of her that liked the fact that Fate would fight, just for her. It made her feel very happy and wanted. She knew that she was blushing because some of the thoughts, which were of Fate fighting for her and after the fight she would kiss her, were making her heart jump for joy, but this was wrong to think like this, wasn't it? she thought to herself. She tried to think of something different and it worked. She calmed down and listened to the teacher.**

**The bell rang to end the class and to signal the start of lunch. All the students started to talk. Fate's cell phone rang. She took it out of her bag and saw the message. She smiled, it was her mother telling her that she was out front because she forgot her lunch again. She giggled a little. She glanced up and saw Nanoha gazing at her. When their eyes met the copper redhead blushed and walked out of the classroom to meet up with her best friends. Fate smiled a little, she didn't know if it was good or bad, but at least she was looking at her. She got up and headed to the front gate to get her lunch, she ran into Hayate on the way and she told her best friend what almost happened. Her friend just laughed at her and told her that if anyone other than her brother and herself could stop her from fighting it would be the redhead.**

**Up on the roof of the school Nanoha was having lunch with her friends. They talked and joked around, but after awhile her two friends told her that they were heading to the library to study for their free period. The two got up and headed to the library to study, but Nanoha knew better—they had always had a thing for each other; she just wished they'd come right out and say it and not try to hide it from her. She had seen them holding hands when they thought she wasn't looking. She sighed, and stood up and glanced out in the sight in front of her. A lot was going through her mind. **

**She then heard something drop from behind a heating vent.**

**"Who's there?" she asked while she walked a little over towards it.**

"Just me," stated a man's voice as he waved his hand from behind the vent.

**As Nanoha walked over to the other side of vent she saw a man with black hair which was a little longer than the driver's who had taken her to school. He was wearing janitor clothes, and had two tools in his hands; he looked like he was trying to fix something. He then glanced up at her and smiled, and then went back to his work. **

**"Could you get the Phillips screwdriver from the tool box for me, please?" he asked nicely. Nanoha just nodded her head, turned to the box, found the tool, and handed it to him. He thanked her and turned it a little at something she couldn't see. He smiled and then, removing his tool, stood back a little to glance at all his work, and then put the cover back on.**

**"Yep, that should do it for now, anyway," he stated. He smiled at her again.**

**She smiled back at him.**

**"Thanks again for the small help Miss," he stated.**

**"You're welcome," she stated with a nice but confused smile; he had seen that look before from his wife.**

**"My name is Darien, Miss... ?" he asked**

**"Nanoha," she replied with a small bow.**

**The man just smiled at her, and turned to his toolbox.**

**"If you don't mind me asking, why do you look so confused?" Darien asked with a smile while he put his tools away.**

**The redhead was a little shocked that someone saw it. He just laughed a little at her and told her that his wife sometimes had that same look on her face when she was confused about something. The redhead blushed and glanced away a little. He just smiled and that it remind him of his wife.**

**He got up and picked up the tool box. Nanoha glanced back. As he walked by her, he stopped.**

**"Miss Nanoha, I always tell my wife this when she has that kind of face on and it helps her, so maybe it well help you," he told her.**

**The copper redhead turned to him, giving him her full attention and waited for him to talk.**

**"Take a breath, and listen to your soul—it won't lie to you—and then just maybe you wouldn't be so confused," he told her with a soft voice and wisdom.**

**He then told her to have a great day and left her to be. As the door closed Nanoha walked over to the side of the roof. She took a breath and closed her eyes. She felt he heart beat and a calmness came over her. She smiled a little. **

**"It does help," she thought to herself.**

**She knew she was still confused about something, but it wasn't pushing her down anymore. As she heard the bell for the end of lunch she felt that she would be alright, and just maybe she could understand this feeling she had for the cute blonde and what was happening to her.**


	3. Fire of Cires

Flower of Tears

By

Black Rose

Chapter Three—Fire of Cries

It had been a week since that night at the theater. It was a weekend and from the weather it was a cloudy day. Nanoha just sighed while glancing out her bedroom window. She was up and dressed for the day, but didn't have any idea of what to do. Her two best friends said that they had dates, but she knew that they would be going together. She giggled a little.

"Those two really just need to tell me…" she told herself with a smile on her face.

_"I really wish that I had someone to go on a date with?" _she told herself. She leaned her forehead against the cold window. Then it happened again, her head started to throb.

_"Master?"_ a quiet voice spoke to her.

The copper-redhead glanced around her room, and her hand went to her choker, slowly caressing the red rose.

"What is happening to me?" she asked herself, shaking her head.

She got up from her chair and left her room. After telling her mother that she was going for a walk, she headed outside. As she walked she didn't have any idea where she was going; she just let her feet take her. After a short time she ended up at the orphanage. She looked up at the building and smiled. If there was one place that she felt a little better, it was here. When she was with her daughter.

She then went inside and walked up to the front desk.

"Hello," she addressed the person at the front desk.

An older man glanced up from the paper he was reading and smiled at her.

"Hello, Miss Takamachi, it's nice to see you again. I don't believe there is an active for today…" he stated, looking down on a sheet of paper.

Nanoha just smiled at him and told him there wasn't and that she was just here to visit. The older man just smiled at her, gave her a visitor's pass, and told her to have a great day. Nanoha thanked him and then went on her way. If she knew anything, it was that her soon-to-be-daughter was in the art room. She liked to play with colors. As Nanoha walked to the far end of the building, she knocked on the art room door, and then walked in. She just smiled at what she saw.

There, at the one of tables, was her cute little blond, painting something on paper, and not too far from her was Caro, and Erio, and a another person that Nanoha didn't know, but she was looking at her paper and then at Vivio. She had long, dark pink hair and was wearing a very pretty dress. She glanced at Nanoha, and smiled shyly. Nanoha smiled in return and watched as Caro tapped Vivio on the shoulder and then pointed in her direction. Nanoha saw her little girl turn to her and give her the biggest smile she could give. She jumped out of her seat; Nanoha knew what going to happen next.

Thud!

Vivio fell down. Nanoha knelt down and looked over her body and it looked like she was alright.

"You're alright, Vivio," told her with a worried, but calm voice.

Vivio just looked at Nanoha, as if she should help her up, and Nanoha smiled at her.

"Vivio, you can do it—come on, get up and come give your mother a hug," the copper-redhead told her encouragingly.

The blond just looked at her and nodded her head. She then slowly got up and walked over to her soon-to-be-mother. Nanoha smiled at her daughter. She wrapped her arms around the little one, and gave her a hug.

"You're a good girl, Vivio" she told her daughter with a small tear running down her face. She closed her eyes.

As the two were hugging they didn't see an older blond walked into the room. She was shocked, to say the least.

"Nanoha?" asked the voice.

Nanoha's eyes flew open and she let go of Vivio.

"Mama?" Vivio asked, a little confused as to why her soon-to-be-mother was a little tense. Nanoha picked her up and held her. She then turned around to face the person she couldn't believe was here, of all places.

"Fate, what are you doing here?" she asked the older blond.

Fate just glanced around, trying to buy herself some time; she didn't really know why she'd followed her here, it just was that when she'd seen the cute copper-redhead walking by herself, she felt that something was wrong, and just went with her feelings. She then looked back at her with a small smile.

"Well, that's a long story, which I really don't want to get into," she stated with a slight blush.

"Oh," was all Nanoha said in return.

"Nanoha, who is your friend?" asked Caro walking up to them with Erio right behind her.

Nanoha just looked at her friends and smiled a little. She then glanced at Fate and saw she, too, was waiting for her answer, but what she caught in the older blonde's eyes was something else, longing and sadness, but then it was gone again. She shook her head a little.

"Well, this is Fate T. Harlaown. We're in the same grade, and I guess that you could say that we're not really friends, but we know one another," she told them.

"_Even if I wish it was more..." _a voice that wasn't her own said in Nanoha's head.

The copper-redhead glanced at Fate, confused.

"_Did I just hear Fate's voice in my head?" _she asked herself.

"Fate, did you say something?" she asked.

Fate glanced at her a little confused, and looked at her funny.

"No, why do you ask, Nanoha?" she asked a little intrigued.

"Never mind, oh my, sorry these are my friends Caro Ru Lushe,"—pointing to the light pink haired girl—"next to her is Erio Mondial, and this little ball of fun is my daughter, Vivio," she stated, smiling at the blond in her arms.

"Your daughter?!" stated Fate, a little shocked and upset.

"When did you...." she couldn't finish what she was saying because someone started to laugh out loud. It was coming from the other side of the room. They glanced over to see that it was the young girl who was about Vivio's age, maybe a little older, but not by much.

"Lutecia?" asked Vivio.

"So, that's her name, Vivio, do you know her?" asked Nanoha with a little giggle because Fate's face was very funny. Vivio just nodded while Nanoha put her down and walked over to the dark purple haired girl. Lutecia glanced at Vivio and a small blush came to her face.

"Lutecia is my friend," Vivio stated happily while looking at her friend, a little confused as to why she was have a giggling fit.

"Sorry, Vivio, it's just that a lot of people think that your mother is your birth mother," Lutecia told her friend. When Vivio heard this, she started to laugh too.

By this time, Fate's face was very red with embarrassment. The older blond turned to her secret crush.

"I'm sorry Nanoha, I didn't mean to imply that you were a...." she left it there. As for Nanoha, she just smiled warmly at her, and without thinking she took her left hand. It was as if a calmness came over both of them. Fate looked down at their hands, and then glanced back at the copper-redhead.

"It's alright, my family acted about the same, but I must say, yours was the cutest one so far," she told her full heartily. It then just dawned on her what she'd said and she turned away with a small blush.

"_S__he's very cute when she blushes,"_ the same voice stated in Nanoha's head.

"I must be hearing things," Nanoha told herself quietly, with a shrug. She let go of Fate's hand, much to Fate's disappointment, and walked over to her daughter, who was looking at what her friend had drawn. Fate just watched her, but then felt someone watching her. She turned around and saw the other two friends of Nanoha's watching her closely.

"Uh...hello?" she stated, not sure what to say.

"Are you any good at history?" asked Caro with a smile on her face.

Fate just nodded her head; she liked history and was always good at it, unlike her dear brother.

"If you wouldn't mind, could you help us out with a problem we're having?" asked Erio, trying his best to make the older blonde open up a little. They both could tell she wasn't used to having little ones around, even if they were in middle school.

As for Fate, she just nodded and walked over to the table that they were working at, and read over what they were working on. The three sat down and started working as a team.

After awhile, and seven problems later, Caro and Erio finally finished their homework with Fate's help.

"Thank you," Erio told her.

"Thank you for taking time for us," stated Caro with a happy smile.

"You're very welcome. If you ever need any more help, just let me know," Fate told them with a smile. Deep down, she really did enjoy helping the two, but didn't know why.

"Well, we have to get really for dinner, we'll see you later Miss Harlaow, they told her and gave a little bow before leaving, but before they could get past the door Fate stopped them and told them to call her Fate. The two smiled at her, nodded, and left.

"I think.... they like you," stated a cute voice that she knew so well.

Fate glanced to her right and saw Nanoha by herself, just smiling at her.

"Where are your daughter and her friend?" she asked, glancing around.

Nanoha giggled a little, and told her that Vivio and Lutecia also went to dinner a little while ago. Fate then looked at her watch and her eyes got very big.

"It's six o'clock!" she said out loud.

"Is there something wrong, Fate?" Nanoha asked her with a worried voice.

Fate just looked at her, and smiled at little.

"I had an appointment at six," she told her. Just then her cell phone rang.

The blond took out her phone and answered, knowing who it was.

"Hello Mother," she stated with a little worry in her voice.

Nanoha just watched with amusement as Fate told her mother that she was at the orphanage, and that she was just helping out, even if it wasn't planned that way. Fate then said goodbye and shut her phone. She sighed and turned to the copper-redhead.

"Nanoha....." she stopped before she could begin.

Nanoha was now just watching the sunset out the window. The sun's colors were playing with her hair, making it a very deep, lovely red and it was very shiny with little sparkles to it. The thing that got Fate the most was that if you listened very closely you could Nanoha humming a little song. It was very calming.

Fate stopped looking at her, when she turned to her with a smile.

"Are you in trouble?" she asked.

Fate just shook her head no.

"I need to get home though.... would you like a ride home?" she asked with a blush. She felt like she was doing that a lot.

"Thank you, but I will have to decline, I live about four blocks that way," she told her, pointing to the right.

"Right, well, I have to get going?" she told herself even knowing she didn't want to go, it was everyday that she could talk to her.

Nanoha just looked at her as if she was trying to find something.

_"Fate, what is it about you that doesn't want you to leave me?" _she asked herself.

She then nodded, and walked passed her, stopping at the door. She then glanced behind her.

"Fate, you're always welcome back here, and thank you for helping my friends with their schoolwork..._and for talking to me, I don't feel alone anymore_." she said the last part to herself. Then she left the room, with the blond right behind her. When they got outside, Fate walked over to her dark motorcycle, and got on. She turned back to the copper-redhead.

"You're sure you don't want a ride, even if it's a couple of blocks?" she asked with a little hope in her voice.

Nanoha just smiled at her.

"Thank you Fate, but no, it's alright," she told her nicely, even if a part of her wanted too.

"Alright," Fate replied just as nicely, but still disappointed. She then put on her helmet, started up her motorcycle, took one last glance at her secret crush and headed home.

Nanoha just watched her go and didn't start home until she could no longer see the blond. She then headed home, but felt that something was not right; it was the same feeling she'd had when she was at the theater. She wished then that she had taken Fate up on her offer.

Meanwhile, at her house, Madison was in the dining room, playing the piano. The tune that was coming from it was a nice but dark one. Her head maid put a nice hot cup of tea on the piano as she finished playing the song.

"That was beautiful, Mistress, what is it called?" she asked with a kind smile.

"It's called 'Fire of Cries'," she stated with a sad voice.

"Why?"

Madison smiled a little at her and looked back at the music.

"It reminds me of her," she replied and that was all it took for her head maid to understand to drop it. Madison then picked up the cup and took a sip. She smiled at the warmth it gave her.

"Mistress, about those two we met today—are you sure they will be able to help?" she asked as her mistress set the cup back down on the piano.

Madison smiled somewhat evilly.

"I can only do so much for her, these two will be a great help, but also these two will also awaken. By the way, have we heard back from him?" she asked while getting up and moving over to the couch. Then she heard rings hitting one another. She glanced over to her staff; it was glowing. She smiled a little. She then turned back to her maid and good friend.

"Have a couple of rooms ready, I shouldn't be long," she told her and then got up, raised her hand and her staff flew to her. Her head maid smiled and nodded to her. Then in a flash of whitish-purple her mistress was gone.

"Please be safe," she told no one, and then went to get her job done.

Back at Nanoha's house, she had just gotten done eating dinner with her family, and now was back in her room, trying to get a little homework done before bed, but her eyelids kept dropping, and finally she fell asleep.

"_Master?" _said a calming voice.

Nanoha opened her eyes and saw that she was in front of the orphanage, and it was on fire, and people were running everywhere. A shock of horror came over her face but it looked like everything was in black and white.

_"Master, please don't be scared, I will help you,"_said the calm voice.

Nanoha then felt a person back up against her.

"Who are you?" she asked with an upset voice, it sound like she was going to cry.

_"Master, you will awaken," _the person told her. Nanoha then felt the pain again, it was as if her body was on fire, and her eyes were dilating in pain. Then she heard it, something she never in her life wished to hear.

"Mommy!" she heard her daughter scream with pain and worry.

"Vivio!" she screamed and then everything went blank.

At the orphanage, the T.S.A.B. had already sent two teams but by the time they got there it was too late—the orphanage was already on fire. There were people all over.

"We have to get control of this, and fast," stated Chrono.

Everyone nodded except Fate, who without thinking, ran right into the burning building.

"Fate, wait..." yelled Hayate, but it was too late.

"Hayate, see if you can find the person that runs this place, while the others try get this fire under control," ordered Chrono.

Hayate ran over to the authorities, and tried to find out what was going on.

Chrono then cast a barrier around the area, and told a team to alter the authorities' memories after everything was in order. After awhile Hayate returned and told him that the fire had started in the kitchen; someone must have left something on or something. He nodded.

"Are all the people out of the building?" he asked.

"No, there are still seven people unaccounted for," she reported.

"Do we know who they are?"

"One boy and six girls, but we don't know who they are."

"Alright, I want your team to find those missing children," he told her. She nodded and her team carefully entered the building.

Meanwhile, Fate was having a very weird day. She had no idea why she had entered without thinking; the only thing she knew was that there were still people inside and she needed to get them out. She was moving as fast as she could go, but the heat was getting to her, even with her magic. She kept glancing around.

She then heard some coughing, and headed towards it. Then she heard voices.

"Teana, can you move?" Subaru asked with a worried voice.

"Subaru, if you ask a dumb question like that again, I'll kill you," stated her friend with pain in her voice—a beam from the roof had fallen on her, and she was pinned to the floor. Her best friend was trying to move it off of her, but every time she moved the beam, Teana would scream in pain. Fate didn't waste any time; she hurried over to them to help them.

"Here, let me help—we're going to pick up the beam on three, alright," she told Subaru. "One, two, three…"

They struggled to lift the beam, but they still couldn't move it enough to free Teana.

"Let me help," stated a misty voice.

Fate glanced behind her and saw the same woman with angel wings, walking towards them from the doorway. She then moved over next to Subaru and glanced down at the young woman.

"Let's try it again," she told them.

The two just nodded and then, on the count of three, they slowly but surely moved the heavy beam off of Teana. She looked to be in bad shape, but alive.

Fate just gazed at the White Devil, who, in return, was looking right back.

"Thank you, but why?" Fate asked, watching Subaru slowly help her best friend up.

The White Devil just smiled at the two girls and then frowned at Fate.

"It shouldn't matter to you, there are others in the fire," she told her with a cold voice and left them with a small flash of light.

"Who was that?" Subaru asked to anyone, but no one answered her.

Fate turned to them and helped them out of the building. As they walked, she hoped that Nanoha's daughter was already out, and some part of her hoped that Caro, and Erio were alright too. As they exited the orphanage, Fate saw Hayate holding onto three people, one was Vivio's friend, who was crying, and Caro and Erio, who were getting checked out by Shamal.

She smiled at the two and finished helping Teana so she and Subaru could be looked at. She was about to turn to her brother when she heard Vivio's friend say something.

"My best friend, Vivio, is still in there," she told Hayate with tears running down her face. Fate's heart jumped, and she quickly turned around to go back inside, when, out of nowhere, a figure walked out of the burning building. It was the White Devil and she looked like she was holding someone in her arms. She had burn marks all over, and her wings looked a little black.

Fate walked up to her, and glanced at the person in the angel's arms. It was Vivio. She looked to be asleep, and had just a few little burn marks here and there.

"I'll take her, and make sure she gets healed," Fate told the White Devil with a voice of caring and command.

The White Devil just glanced at her and smiled.

"Thank you, but she is alright, I healed her, let her sleep," she told Fate with kindness but also showing that it was out of the question to take the little one. The next thing that they heard was rings hitting one another. Chrono knew this sound from the last time. He glanced around, trying to find out where it was coming from. Then, from out of nowhere, a woman in a kimono stood next to the children.

"I will send the children somewhere safe for the time being," she stated. She then hit her staff on the ground. Then in a shadow-like movement Subaru, Teana, Caro, Erio, and Lutecia disappeared.

"Where did you send them?!" yelled Chrono, getting his weapon out.

The woman smiled evilly at him.

"They are safe. Your ship should be able to pinpoint where I left them," she stated with a knowing smile.

This took everyone from the T.S.A.B by surprise. The White Devil wasn't even listening to them; she was just holding onto the little one with love and happiness that she was alright.

"My master would have been very upset if you were hurt at all, little one," she told the child nestled in her arms.

"Mama," Vivio murmured in her sleep.

"You'll see her very soon, don't worry," she told her quietly.

The White Devil then turned to the woman in the Kimono.

"Shakujo handler, would you please send this little one to the others," she asked as if it was an order. The woman with light purple hair smiled at her and nodded. Then, with a wave of her staff, Vivio disappeared as well.

Chrono didn't know who these people were, or how they knew so much, but he had to follow the rules.

"You two will have to come with us to answer some questions," he said as his men started to surround them. The next thing that happened was his men all fell to the ground in pain.

"You're not taking her anywhere," stated a misty, commanding voice.

Everyone but the White Devil and the woman in the Kimono looked shocked. There, in front of the White Devil, stood two very elegant women. Each of them, like the White Devil, had a pair of angel-like wings, but their dresses were different. One, who had long gold-blond hair, had on a dark purple dress, while her friend, who had long dark purple hair, had a golden dress. Their masks were the same as the White Devil's, but were the color of their partner's hair.

"Who are you?" asked Hayate with a confused voice.

"We're called Gemini!" they stated together, standing in front of the White Devil protectively.

The White Devil just glanced at the newcomers here, and felt that she knew them, but didn't know how. She then glanced at Fate, and her heart started to race; it was like she knew her as well. This was becoming very confusing, but she knew that she couldn't let them take her, or else her master would be very upset. What no one saw was that the woman in the kimono was smiling sadly and glanced at the White Devil and Fate.

"_This will not end like it did for me—I lost her because of magic, and now I will set it right, one way or another," _she thought sadly.


	4. Ash Like Snow

Flower of Tears

By

Black Rose

Chapter Four—Ash Like Snow

The ash from the fire was falling all around, like a nice falling snow in the middle of winter. The white devil opened her hand and some ash fell into it as she closed her hand. She then glanced up at the ash around them. She then looked at the orphanage that was still burning. Her heart felt sadness—it was like a part of the world would never be the same, but with ash came new life.

She then glanced at the two in front of her. The one with dark purple hair was the closest to her, while her partner was a little ahead of them. She smiled a little at them. She moved her eyes to everyone that was there. When she got to Fate, her heart started to race; she felt like she needed to talk to her. She smiled evilly.

"Gemini, if you would keep the two knights busy, I would like to talk to the blonde alone," she told them softy so only they could hear her. They both nodded and got to work. They then disappeared and reappeared right next to Vita and Signum.

"They're fast," stated Vita, jumping back a little before the blonde attacked her with her weapon, just missing her. The blond Gemini smiled, and disappeared again, but this time the dark purple haired one was in her place.

"What the....." Vita stated before she got thrown back a little ways. She then glanced at her friend and saw the blonde was attacking Signum. She, too, was a little shocked on how well they fought.

Signum used her sword and blocked the attack, but got pushed back into the burning building.

"Who the hell are you?" the pink-haired knight asked, a little upset that this person was giving her a hard time. The next thing that happened, she was thrown through the burning wall by another person. The purple-haired woman glanced to the side. There was a hole in the wall now and her partner was standing in middle, smiling evilly.

"Did you have to throw that short knight into her?" she asked sarcastically, and then winked at her. They both turned, just in time for the counter-attack. The Gemini were having the time of their lives, but part of them knew that they needed to get back to their leader in a way, or best friend.

While they kept on fighting, Hayate and Chrono were in the middle of a fight themselves; just a little after their teammates were attacked, the woman in the black and white kimono attacked them. The fight wasn't going well for them, so far Chrono had been thrown into the ground and thrown against a tree, and was now bleeding, and his body wasn't looking so well. It was like every time this woman hit him, she put ten times more power into it, and the best that he or Hayate could do was a little cut here and there. If they did do anything big, the woman with light purple hair would just hit it aside and look at them like, _is that all you got?_

They both knew they could do more, but it could destroy more than just her.

As the shakujo-handler just kept attacking, she was in her own world. She knew that she needed to give the white devil time, but she didn't know how much longer she could keep this up—it wasn't like these guys were pushovers, but then again, neither was she, she also knew that they were being watched, and she couldn't show her true power just let. She glanced at the blonde and copper redhead after dodging attack from the brown haired woman with small black wings. She smiled and knew she just had to keep this up, just a little longer.

Fate was in battle-stance, ready for attack, but the white devil was just watching her with a sort of smile, and for some reason, it was making Fate blush. She then shook her head. She couldn't have her mind drifting like that in the middle of a fight.

"Your name's Fate, right?" asked the White Devil, leaning her head to the side.

Fate just gave her cold stare, but didn't say anything.

The white winged woman just smiled a little at her and flashed away. Fate glanced around a little, but couldn't find her. It wasn't until she felt a pair of arms around her waist, from behind and a person's head on her shoulder. She couldn't move, and didn't know why.

"I'm not going to harm you, my master would be upset if you were harmed in any way," she told the blonde in a small calm voice with a little purr.

Fate wasn't calm at all, this person was very close to her, and she couldn't move, she was started to panic a little.

"Your master?" Fate asked, trying to stay calm. The white devil just giggled and placed a very light kiss on Fate's neck, and Fate's eyes widened. The white devil removed her hands and somewhat floated off the ground and a little ways from her. Fate just watched her, not with hateful eyes, but with shocked ones.

"Gemini, it's time to go!" White Devil yelled like a teacher telling her students that it was time to come in from the playground.

The next that she saw was part of the building falling, and two almost fallen angels walking through the fires and rubble, with something over their shoulders.

The shakujo-handler landed next to her, she was pretty beat up, but compared to the two people in front of her, she was the one with the least amount of pain. Hayate was holding Chrono up. He was in bad shape. He had a broken arm, his head was bleeding like no other, he also had a big cut on his side which was bleeding, and much more.

How he was still standing was anyone's guess. As for Hayate, well she was a little better off than him but not by much. While she was bleeding here and there, her magic was helping.

_"Man, we couldn't even slow her down, and it looks like she could keep going, but there is something off about all this," _Hayate thought then hear a thud on the ground. She glanced down and saw two of her knights, very badly hurt and knocked out cold. She turned to the two women who did this with hateful eyes.

"What did you do?" she asked coldly.

The blond Gemini just smiled evilly, and glanced at her.

"Well, they're alive, if we wanted to kill them, we would have done that sooner," she replied. Her partner just shook her head.

"Sweetheart, be nice," she stated while giving her the knowing look.

"Right," the blond Gemini answered and then they both jumped over to the White Devil.

The White Devil just kept watching Fate and after a little while she turned to her new helpers.

"Thank you, Gemini," she said so only they could hear her. She then closed her eyes. Her wings folding around her, she disappeared. The Gemini nodded to one another and did the same. All who was left was shakujo-handler and she was smiling a little. By this time reinforcement arrived and along with them was the captain of the spaceship Asura, Lindy Harlaown.

She stepped in front of Fate, watching the shakujo-handler very closely. She had seen the whole thing from aboard the ship. It took time to get the manpower, but by the time it came the fighting was over. She ordered her people to take the wounded to the ship and get them healed. Her people did what they were told.

"Fate, you alright?" she asked, glancing behind her at her adopted daughter.

Fate just nodded and glanced around.

"Good, get back to the ship, I will be there in a little while to talk," she told her, glancing back at the other woman with the straw hat that hid her upper face well.

Fate nodded then disappeared as well.

As soon as Fate was gone, Lindy let herself face this woman head on.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice loud but it had a calming feel to it.

The shakujo-handler just walked slowly to right, so she was facing the Captain.

"I think the better question you're looking for is how much do I know about your little group?" she told her with a mysterious voice.

Lindy didn't bat an eye, and just kept watching her. There was something not right with this, and it was like she was dealing with something that she didn't quite understand. She could feel great sadness coming from this person.

"How much do you know?" she asked, getting right to the point. She could tell this person wasn't playing games, she was all business.

"I know more than you think, I know all about your group called Time-Space Administration Bureau," she stated, moving her staff to her other hand, she continued, "As for how I know, well let's just say that I grew up with magic, and that you have no chance in hell of stopping me if I use my full power—as you saw from your ship, I was holding back some," she stated smiling somewhat evilly.

"What do you want?" she asked. Captain Harlaown felt if she could keep her talking she may find out what was going on.

The black and white kimono woman just giggled a little.

"I will not allow what happened in the past to happen again," she simply said, with a voice of coldness and sadness mixed. She then hit the ground with her staff and disappeared with a whitish-purple light.

Lindy just sighed and disappeared back to her ship. She checked on her son, found out that he was in bad shape, but it wasn't life threatening. Hayate was healing just fine, but her two knights were just as bad as her son.

She then moved to the bridge.

"Amy, did you get a trace on their magic?" she asked as she sat down in her seat.

"No, ma'am it was like it wasn't even there in the first place," Amy stated, working very quickly, trying do find something—anything—that would help. Lindy nodded and told her to keep looking.

_"This woman is very good, she knew that we were watching, and yet it was like she didn't care one bit, and the worst part is that she knows more about us than we do about her," _she thought.

In Fate's room she was lying on her bed, holding herself. Her familiar was cuddling next to her.

"I feel so...so lightheaded," she said out loud. She then moved her hand to the spot that the white devil kissed.

_"Why did she do that? She couldn't have known that I like girls…" _she thought and then shook her head. She then moved her hand over to her familiar and pet her.

"Why would her master not want to harm me? But then again, she wasn't harming anyone," she stated aloud, and then it came to her: the children. She jumped out of bed, ran out of her room and to the bridge. As she entered, she walked very swiftly up to the captain.

"Captain..." she stated, a little out of breath.

Lindy glanced at her daughter.

"Fate?"

"Amy, do you know where that woman in the kimono sent the children," she asked very quickly.

"_How could I have forgotten about her child,"_ she thought to herself, a little upset that she did that; in a way she felt like she let her own child down.

"All the information I could get was that they were sent to someone's house and that the police were called and are now there," Amy told her without taking her eyes off the screen.

Fate sighed. "At least she's safe," she told herself, not meaning to say it out loud.

Her mother glanced at her, and looked at her with a face like she was trying to figure out what she was talking about.

"Fate, who is 'she'?" she asked.

"Oh, Vivio. She's Nanoha's daughter—she was the one that the white winged woman was holding," she said as a little blush came to her face.

Lindy smiled at her daughter; it wasn't a secret that she liked this girl named Nanoha. Then something came to her.

"Amy, could you please bring up the video of when the white winged woman came out of the building," she ordered.

"Yes, ma'am," the young woman replied.

A Screen popped in front of them and they watched it all over again. The mother and daughter watched closely. Fate was trying to figure out why her mother was watching it.

"Hold frame," the Captain said. The image on the screen stopped.

"Well, I believe I know why she showed up," stated Fate's mother.

Fate just glanced at the video, and then she got it too.

"She was after Vivio," she stated, a little shocked with this news.

Lindy went into deep thought, _"Those two other winged women didn't show up until the white one was being asked to go away, and it wasn't until the children were gone that the fighting started. I have a feeling that maybe this Nanoha knows something....my daughter isn't going to like this, but, then again, maybe she will."_

_"_Fate, I think Miss Takamachi may know something about this white winged woman," her mother stated.

Fate glanced at her mother like she'd lost her mind.

"What, are you saying that my Nanoha is this white winged woman?" she asked like it was the dumbest thing in the world—for one, Nanoha has no magic in her, and also she would have felt it she did. She then covered her mouth when she remembered that she said "my." Fate then blushed very deep red.

Her mother just giggled and then her face took a calm look.

"I don't believe she is, but it may be someone that is close to her, or even someone watching her from afar, look..." she told her daughter and pointed at the screen.

"She knew what she was looking for, and also look at the way she is holding the little one," she stated. Fate just nodded. It added up.

"Fate, I would like you to keep an eye on Miss Takamachi, get to know her better if you can, and see if she knows anything," Lindy stated as an order.

Fate just nodded because that was all she could do. She then told her mother that she was going to see her best friend in the infirmary. On the way there, Fate was battling with herself with all the what-ifs she could think of, and it was giving her a headache.

"Nanoha...." she said softly as she came up to the infirmary. She walked in and saw Shamal talking to Hayate and her small and cute Reinforce II, or Rein for short.

"How are you doing, Hayate?" Fate asked, sitting down on the bed next to her.

Hayate just smiled a little at her.

"Alright, a little worried about Vita and Signum, but Shamal told us that they will be alright in a couple of days," she stated with a sigh, but had a smile on.

"Well you're lucky that Rein was with you, or you would have been in the same shape as Chrono," stated Shamal while writing something down on her clipboard.

"How is he?" asked Fate, a little worried for her adopted brother.

"Well, could have been a lot worse, but let's just say that he will be out for quite awhile—that woman did a number on him," stated Shamal, heading to the door as she went to check on her other knights.

Fate and Hayate smiled at her; as soon as the door closed they glanced at each other and smiled. Hayate glanced in her friend's eyes and saw worry in them.

"Fate, really I will be alright, Shamal said that I could leave later on today but it looks like I'm going to miss school," she told her best friend, trying to take away her worry at least a little.

Fate smiled a little at her, and told her what her mother had said. Hayate couldn't keep the grin from coming to her face, and neither could Rein.

"Well, now we can see if she likes you," Hayate with a playfulness in her voice.

"_Right_," the blonde stated sarcastically.

They all then started to giggle and stopped after a little while.

"I really hope that Nanoha is not part of this in anyway," Fate stated with a little fear in her voice.

"Fate, would it really be that bad if she found out, or if she had magic?" asked Rein, flying over to her master's shoulder and landing on it.

"I really don't know…" Fate told her with a confused voice. She then felt a hand on hers and saw Hayate smiling at her.

"Let's just see what we can come up with, and I believe you should get some sleep before school," her friend told her gently, glancing at the clock and seeing in was about three in the morning. Fate nodded and told her she would have a copy of the notes for her and left, going back to her room that was on the ship.

Early that morning storm clouds rolled in. It was a light rain at first but then it came down faster. Nanoha started to stir after hearing her cell phone ring a couple of times. She slowly opened her eyes, and saw her phone on her desk. She moved her hand over to it and opened it. The caller ID read Suzuka's number.

"Morning, Suzuka....." the copper-head, answering it with a little sleepiness in her voice.

"Morning, have you seen the news this morning?" her friend asked with a little worry and sadness in her voice.

"Suzuka, what's wrong, are you alright?" asked Nanoha with worry in her voice; now starting to become upset.

"Come down, Nanoha!" yelled someone from behind Suzuka in the phone.

"Is that Alisa?" asked Nanoha, now fully awake.

"Yes, and have you seen the news?" Suzuka asked her again.

"No? I just got up," she told her.

"Turn on the T.V." she told her.

Nanoha got up from her chair that she was sitting on, walked over to her nightstand, got the controller, and turned on the T.V.

On the T.V were images of the fire that happened at the orphanage, and what happened to them, then also images of children, who just happened to appear at Madison Taylor's summer home late last night, and lucky for them her head maid let them stay.

The singer had to say with what happened,_ "I don't know how the children ended up at my house, but I was happy to help them in their time of need. I plan to rebuild the orphanage better than before, so these children will once again have a place that they can call home," _Madison told them.

Then the news went to the weather, which stated what we all knew already—it was raining outside. Nanoha was in a little shock—for one, the orphanage was nothing but a big mess of blackened wood, and also there was the fact that her soon-to-be-daughter was at the singer's house—someone calling her name got her attention. She put the phone back to her ear.

"Yeah... I'm here," she said, still a little shocked.

"Nanoha, we're on our way to your house," Suzuka said with worry in her voice.

"How did it happen, Suzuka?" she asked with a voice that was about to cry.

"They're still looking into it; Nanoha remember that Vivio is alright, and that you will be seeing her very soon," Suzuka told her with a calming voice, which helped out a little.

"Nanoha..." asked Suzuka when she didn't get answer.

"Suzuka, I had a dream about this," started Nanoha, now starting to come out of her shock.

"Nanoha, we're going to be there in a little while, can you wait until we get there and then tell us?" asked Suzuka, trying to stay calm for her friend.

"Yes...." was all the copper head said.

"Alright, I'm going to hang up now, I will see you in about fifteen minutes, alright?" her friend told her.

"Yeah....Suzuka?" Nanoha asked.

"Yes?"

"Thanks."

"You're welcome, see you very soon?" she told her copper haired friend and hung up the phone.

Nanoha glanced at the clock and saw it was about 5:30 in the morning; she got her clothes for the day and took a shower.

In a black limo, Suzuka hung up with Nanoha. She turned to her girlfriend with blond hair.

"I think we should take her to see Vivio after school," she told her blond friend, who was watching the rain fall. When she didn't get an answer she placed a hand on her shoulder. The blonde turned slowly to her. Suzuka's eyes widened. Her girlfriend had tears in her eyes.

"Alisa...." she stated with worry as she quickly pulled her girlfriend into her arms and held her.

"We can't let her down—she has been our friend for so long, and has always been there for us," stated Alisa, a little choked up.

Suzuka just hugged her and gave her some comfort, because she, too, was starting to have tears in her eyes.

"We wouldn't love, we wouldn't," she to her with a calm voice as her mind went back to yesterday.

Flash Back

_ In was sunny out and a young dark purple haired girl was sitting at a table next to the window in a nice little café. She was waiting for her girlfriend, even if they haven't told anyone yet. She smiled a little at when they became a couple, even if it was new to them._

_She then felt a soft hand on her shoulder; she didn't need to turn to see who it was. The other girl with blond hair sat across from her, and smiled at her._

_"Wait long?" she asked glancing outside._

_"Alisa, if I waited two years for you to ask me out, then I believe that I can wait a whole ten minutes for you," she spoke very matter-of-factly._

_The blonde just giggled as a waiter came to take their order, and left._

_As the two talked about whatever they didn't see that a white limo pulled up to the café. The waiter came back with their order. They thanked him._

_"So, do you think we should tell Nanoha that we're a couple now?" asked Suzuka, taking a sip of her tea._

_"Knowing Nanoha, she thinks we have been a couple for a long time, but yeah, I think it would be best if we told her, even if she thinks we already are," she said a little jokingly, though there was some truth behind it._

_"I believe it would best that you tell her, because she's going to need you for what's coming up," stated a new voice._

_The two turned to the singer for the night at the theater. She was wearing a very nice looking dress. She was also holding two small boxes in her hands._

_"You're Madison Taylor," stated Alisa, a little shocked that she was standing next to them. Madison just smiled at her._

_"Yes, I don't have a lot of time, so I will get to the point; your best friend Nanoha will be having a hard time soon, and will need your help," she stated with calmness in her voice, but if you looked into her eyes, you would have seen great sadness, but also worry. The couple just looked at her and then each other._

_"What do you mean she is going to be have a hard time, and why are you telling us this—are you the one that is going to make things hard?" asked Alisa, who was getting a little upset._

_Madison just smiled at her, and told them that she wouldn't be the one that made her have a hard time, it would be something else and she was trying to help. Suzuka could tell from her voice that she was somewhat worried about their friend. The singer set two boxes in front of them. She told them that what's in those boxes would help them and their friend. She then thanked them again for their time, and left. _

_The couple just watched her leave, and then turned back to the boxes in front of them. They both opened one. In each was a choker like the one Nanoha had gotten, but the difference was that Alisa's was dark purple with a small wing on each side, and Suzuka got the same, but hers was a pretty yellow color. _

_In each box was a small note which read:_

_Please protect her, until she is ready._

_The two glanced at each other. They knew from just that they needed to be there for their friend. Alisa glanced at her girlfriend and smiled a little. She then got up and took her girlfriend's choker and slowly put it on her. Suzuka just blushed and smiled at her. After she put it on, she moved her hand to her choker and felt it. It had a warm feeling to it. She then turned to her partner. She had put it on, too. They nodded to one another that they would do their best for their best friend._

End Flash Back

Suzuka glanced down and kissed Alisa on the check. The blonde stopped crying, and was calm, which was good because the limo was just pulling up to Nanoha's house. They got out and ran to the door; before they even got to the door it opened so they could get in. They saw Nanoha waiting for them.

"Morning again, Nanoha" stated her purple haired friend with a smile on her face.

"Morning, Suzuka, Alisa. How are you today?" Nanoha asked, just looking at them a little funny.

"Well, other than a little sore, not too bad, you?" asked Alisa.

"Well, other than the fact that my daughter is at Madison Taylor's house, the orphanage burned down, and I had a weird dream that I saw the building burning, doing alright," she stated sarcastically, and also stating the obvious.

Her two friends giggled, and Nanoha smiled and giggled too. She then said goodbye to her mother, who was in the kitchen. The three got into the limo and drove to school. On the way to school, Suzuka told her that they would go see her daughter after school; this put their copper-headed best friend in a better mood.

As they got to school, it started like any normal day—going to class, having lunch, and more class. It wasn't until Naonha's last class that things started to get a little weird. She was in the gym locker room, getting ready for P.E. It was still raining out, and it didn't look like it was going to stop anytime soon, so the class was in the gym.

The teacher told them that they were going to play dodge ball. All the girls and guys got big smiles. It wasn't until Nanoha found out that Fate was on her team that she felt her heart start to race again. She had been a little worried about her; there had been times along the day that the cute blonde was going to say something to her, or walk over to her, but would just shake her head and walk away or turn her head away.

Nanoha thought it was cute that she was so shy to talk to her, but she was also trying to figure out what why. She then slowly and shyly walked over to her.

"Hi, Fate. It looks like we're teammates again," she tried to sound normal, but it wasn't working very well.

Fate just smiled a little at her. She knew her mother had asked her to watch and get to know her better, but this was easier said than done. Her heart was jumpy, she had been really debating with herself, and it was like she didn't know how to talk to her, because they never really talked that much.

"Hi. Yeah, looks like it," she said with a smile that made Nanoha's heart jump.

The two just kept looking at one another, not really knowing what to say. If someone was watching from the side, it would look like they were having a staring contest. This continued until the teacher yelled.

"Start!"

The two turned to the other team, it was like they become different people. Their faces took on a look of playfulness, yet seriousness. They moved out of the way of balls coming at them. After sometime they were the only ones from their team still in the game. They had sweat dropping from their faces, and they were breathing heavily.

Nanoha glanced at the blonde next to her and smiled. This was so much fun playing with each other. She started to blush at the double-meaning of what she thought. She calmed down and saw more balls coming at them. They worked well with one another; from an outside view, it would seem that they had been doing this for years.

"Fate, this is going to get out of hand really soon if we don't start taking out their numbers," stated Nanoha, jumping to the side, rolling back, and then standing back up.

"Yeah, I totally agree with you on that," Fate replied, jumping over a ball and then ducking at a ball that was coming at her face.

The two then started to throw balls with such speed that most people were a little scared to move and get hit by them. After awhile the teacher told them to stop because class was over. Naonha and Fate just glanced at the teacher, with puppy-eyes; they were just getting into it.

"Harlaown!, Takamachi! Don't give me those faces—if I didn't stop you, you would have won," the teacher yelled at them.

The two just looked at one another, and started laugh out loud. Then they headed to the locker room to shower and get ready to head home. After a nice hot shower, Nanoha was putting on her clothes on the other end of the locker room. She smiling to herself, she always enjoyed having gym with Fate. It was like they knew how the other one was going to act before they did, it was kind of funny.

"Well, Harlaown, looks like you still don't have a boyfriend," stated one of the girls with a teasing voice, but it sounded more like bullying than anything else.

After putting on her over-jacket, Nanoha walked around the locker, and didn't like what she saw. A couple of their classmates were gathered around Fate, she didn't look like she was liking it that much.

"You know, if I didn't know better, I would say you were a lesbian, always hanging out with that Yagami girl," stated one of the girls with an evil smile on her face. Nanoha didn't like where this was going. She knew that girls sometimes can be really mean to one another, and something it didn't end well either. Fate started yelling that them, and saying words that were really no shock to anyone, but still. It wasn't until one of the girls slapped Fate across the face for saying something about her mother. That was when Nanoha lost it. Her eyes had tears in them.

"Stop it! Leave her alone!" she yelled with her head down.

Everyone turned to her, a little shocked that this quiet young woman was yelling at them. Fate just glanced at her and her heart was beating very fast now, because she was about to kill these girls, until she heard her crush yell. Nanoha's head begin to throb and her eyes were dilating in pain.

They next thing that happened was the shower's water all turned to really hot and started to make a steam that was like thick fog. The next thing Fate knew, she felt someone taking her hand, leading her out of the locker room. Thank goodness that she already had her clothes on. It wasn't until she was near the door that she saw it was Nanoha dragging her out of the locker room. They walked quietly and didn't say a word.

Nanoha didn't know where she was going, just away from them.

"_I can't __believe that they would do that to my Fate....wait, did I just say "my" Fate," _she thought to herself. It wasn't until they were just outside on the roof, and under a small eve above the door leading inside, that they both stopped. They were both a little out of breath.

Fate wasn't too sure on what had just happened, but she liked how it ended up. She glanced at the copper head and saw that she was in a little pain—she was holding her side with one hand while the other was holding hers very tightly.

"Nanoha?" asked a little worried about her.

Nanoha opened her eyes; they flashed with power but then returned to normal. Fate didn't see it because Nanoha's head was still down.

"Fate, please just keep holding my hand," she asked her with a voice that sounded like she was about to cry, but also had a hard tone to it.

"Sure," she replied while glancing out at the rain, still holding Nanoha's hand, trying to give what little comfort she could, but she was also grateful to her because she was keeping her from going back and killing them. As the rain kept coming down, the two young women just stood there on the roof, with the calming sound of the rain.


	5. Moon's Blood

A/N- Hi everyone I would like to say I'm sorry about the late update, but here it is. I would like to thank my beta reader, and Yojimbo89 from helping and keep me going on this story, I hope you like this chapter- Black Rose

Flower of Tears

by

Black Rose

Chapter Five—Moon's Blood

It was still raining out. The young mistress of the house had her long light purple hair in pigtails today. If someone asked why, she would just point to the young girls. Let's just say that they loved to play "pretty up" with the mistress. She was sitting out on her balcony, which had a cover to shield it from the weather. She gazed out over the open field.

"Come back here, Vivio!" yelled Lutecia, chasing the blond-pigtailed girl across the grounds.

The two girls were playing in the light rain. They both had on raincoats. Vivio just laughed happily at her friend. The two splashed each other with the puddles on the ground.

The mistress took a sip of her tea and put it down on the table. The balcony doors opened; her head maid walked over to her and bowed to her a little.

"Mistress, I have sent Zero to pick up Miss Takamachi, her friends, and also, if at all possible, Miss Harlaown, as you have ordered," she told her with a smile.

"Thank you Renee—I believe that she would be happy to see her little Vivio again," she stated with a smile of her own.

Her head maid glanced across the field to see the girls playing.

"If I may, Mistress, having those two around has made the house much more playful, and seeing you smile and being playful with them, it's been good for you," she stated, giggling at the girls.

Madison just smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, those two have been a pocket of sunshine, and I must say it has been nice to have them around—in a small way it reminds me of when I was young and playing with my best friend," she stated before taking her tea and having another sip.

They didn't say anything else. They just watched. It wasn't until Renee glanced at her watch that she turned to her mistress.

"I should bring them in and get them ready for your guests," she told her.

Madison glanced at her and nodded. The head maid bowed and left to do that. After Renee closed the door, a person stepped out from the shadows and bowed.

"I don't know why you're bowing, please get up," stated Madison with a bit of a giggle in her voice.

"Sorry, old habit," the person stated.

"How are you?" the mistress asked.

"Doing well. I have met her, and she is, in a small way, just like her."

"I know. That is why I will not let it happen again—she will have help," Madison stated, her eyes flashing with power.

"You mean Alisa and Suzuka. I could tell that their magic had become stronger than it should have," the person stated more than asked.

"Her little one will help as well, besides her two best friends, but also it helps to have friends around that you trust," the mistress said the last part with anger in her voice.

"Did she feel you?" the person asked.

"In a way they both did, but nothing I need to worry about; if she comes I will take care of it, but hopefully it's after I have the time to help Nanoha," she stated with a wickedness in her voice.

"_Both_? I only know of the Card Mistress—who is the other?" asked the person with a little shock in their voice.

"Lindy Harlaown, Captain of the Spaceship Asura. She sensed my emotions at the battle last night, I don't know how, but it doesn't matter; they can't stop what I've already started. Just watch Nanoha and help if you can," she stated as an order, yet leaving it up to that person.

"I will do what I can, but what about that other one—the blonde—I believe her name is Fate?" the person asked.

"In a way she reminds me a lot of myself, and I can tell she likes Nanoha a lot…" she stopped talking for a little while, thinking about something. "For now stay with the plan, and if you can, help her as well," she said with malevolence in her voice.

"Understood, I will get back to work," the person started to turn back into the shadows, when they remembered something, and turning back to her asked, "Mistress, what started the fire?"

The mistress just smiled and held out her cupped hand and there was a small flash of light. After the light faded a small crystal-like jewel with a number in the middle appeared.

"A Jewel Seed," she replied with a slightly evil smile.

"I thought so. And they will keep looking for them, while playing right into your hand…" the person stated with a big grin.

"Let's just say that their little T.S.A.B. will never be the same," she replied with a playful smile, like someone teasing a cat with a piece of string.

"I would cry if I didn't think it was funny the way they are playing like they know everything," the person stated with a small chuckle.

"It is sad, in a way, but I wouldn't lose sleep over it," Madison giggled evilly.

"Good, I'll get back to my job. Evening, Mistress," the person stated and faded into the shadows.

Madison then waved her a hand and the seed disappeared. She sighed.

"I will not let what happened to me, happen to her as well," she stated aloud to the rain, with anger in her voice and her eyes starting to glow.

Just then two happy girls ran through the door and hugged her.

"Thank you, thank you," they both said at the same time.

Madison just smiled at them lovingly. They were each wearing a new fall dress with autumn colors. Vivio had her hair up in two buns, while Lutecia had her hair in a small braid.

"Alright, you two, let's move into the waiting room for our guests," stated Madison with an order-like tone. The two girls turned around slowly and walked hand-in-hand to the waiting area. Madison just giggled at them and followed.

While all this was going on, Nanoha was breathing in and out. She and Fate were still on the rooftop, surrounded by the sound of the rain. They were still holding each other's hand. Nanoha was also holding her side.

"_How did I miss this?" _shethought to herself.

All the signs were there—cramps, and, for her, the headache from hell.

"_This should be fun_," she thought not-so-happily.

Fate glanced at her crush, and saw she was still in pain.

"Nanoha, you alright?" she asked, bending down next to her.

"Yeah, it's just that time of the month," she told her boldly and then blushed a deep red.

"_I can't believe I told her that! I don't even know her that well, but why is my heart beating fast?_"she thought. Violet eyes turned to see the worried red eyes of her Fate.

"You have beautiful eyes Fate ..._but__ they're so sad!" _she said the last part to herself.

Fate's eyes widened.

"Nanoha..." she started but couldn't finish as the door opened and Alisa and Suzuka walked through, looking a little shocked. From their point of view, it looked like the two had just kissed, or were just about to. Nanoha glanced to see her best friends watching them. She could tell that Alisa was a little upset, and Suzuka, well, she looked like she trying to find out what was really going on.

Slowly Nanoha started to get up, but halfway up her side hurt her.

"_Damn cramps," _she told herself.

"Alisa, Suzuka, it's that time of the month," she told them as Fate helped her up. The cooper redhead turned her head to her blond best friend. "Fate didn't do anything, so leave her alone, Alisa," she told her with her eyes flashing with power.

Alisa and Suzuka glanced at each other and nodded slowly. They both saw the power in her eyes.

"Nanoha, don't worry, she wouldn't do anything unless Miss Harlaown was trying something," Suzuka with a kind smile and understanding voice.

"I know. Sorry Alisa, I didn't mean to snap at you," she told her with small smile.

The four just stood there, not really knowing what to say. Fate was worried about her crush, but also felt a little out of place with Nanoha's friends nearby. They were acting very protective of their friend. She wouldn't hurt her at all—if anything, she wanted to love and protect her.

"_What?! Where did that come from..." _she asked herself with a confused voice in her head.

Alisa kept watching them and had a protective look in her eyes, but didn't do anything.

"_Well, it looks like our dear Nanoha has a little crush and doesn't even know it, yet,"_ Suzuka stated playfully, throwing the telepathic communication link to her girlfriend.

Alisa just gave her a half-smile.

Before she could reply, Nanoha's cell phone rang.

The copperhead took it out and answered, "Hello?" she asked while letting go of Fate, even if she didn't want to.

_"Miss Takamachi?" _asked a female voice.

"Speaking," replied Nanoha, glancing around. She smiled kindly to everyone.

"_This is Renee Shadow, Miss Taylor's Head Maid," _she told her.

Nanoha had to think about it for a little while, and then it dawned on her who was speaking.

"Oh! Hello. How are you?" she asked, feeling a little silly because she'd forgotten, but, then again, her head wasn't working that well right now.

_"Very well, thank you. I'm calling to let you know that Miss Taylor wishes for you and your two best friends to come over after school to see your daughter..." _she told her but couldn't finish because Nanoha started talking.

"Is Vivio alright?" she asked with worry. She couldn't believe herself—she'd almost forgotten about her daughter.

"_Yes, Miss Takamachi, she is fine,"_ she replied in a calm voice.

Nanoha just sighed in relief that her daughter was alright.

Her best friends smiled a knowing smile, and Fate shrugged with a small smile.

_"Will you be coming over, Miss Takamachi?" _asked Renee.

"Yes, and thank you," the copperhead told her, feeling a little better.

_"Then I will see you a little later on. Goodbye," _the head maid said to her and then hung up the phone.

Nanoha just looked at her cell phone and blinked a couple of times.

"Nanoha?" asked Suzuka with a worried voice.

The copperhead just glanced at her, confused.

"What is it, Nanoha?" asked Alisa.

"It's just that Vivio ended up at the same place that I did after that night at the theater," the copperhead stated with a little confusion in her voice. It was like she was trying to put something together.

The four started walking down the stairs and through a couple of halls. Each was in her own little world.

"The singer's home?" asked Suzuka out loud, not really to anyone.

"Yeah. Her name is Madison Taylor," answered her copperhead friend as they got their school bags from their lockers.

Nanoha knew that Fate's locker was right across from hers on the other side of the hall. She glanced at the blonde while closing her locker.

"_Why do I want to stay near her so much?" _she asked herself, confused.

As Fate closed her locker, she turned to see a very happy, yet confused, Nanoha. Fate, feeling a little self-conscious, glanced down at herself. Was there something wrong with her clothes? She was wearing her snug-fitting red and black striped shirt, with a black jacket and black fitting pants; it wasn't much, but it was her.

_"Does she like girls in skirts?"_ she asked herself, sighed, and closed her eyes because she remembered that she didn't even know if Nanoha even liked girls like she did.

"Alright, Fate?" asked a worried voice.

Fate opened her eyes to see glowing violet eyes. Her eyes got even wider when she saw how close she was to her. Fate felt a small blush coming on and knew she needed her to back up before she did something without thinking. She could just see Hayate giving her her knowing look, and quietly laughing at her.

"Yes, I'm alright, thank you for asking," she replied shyly and looking anywhere but her crush's eyes.

"Oh...alright, let's go," Nanoha told her and then, without thinking, she took Fate's hand and dragged her toward the front doors.

Alisa and Suzuka glanced at one another and the first thought that came to their minds was "mood swings." They laughed softly and followed them. As they got outside it was still raining. Suzuka was about to call for her ride when a white limo pulled up in front of the school.

"It's that...." Nanoha didn't finish because the same man who had jet black hair got out. He then walked over with an umbrella open in his hand, stopping right in front of them.

"Miss Takamachi, Miss Tsukimura, Miss Bannings, I'm here to take you to my mistress' fall house," he stated with a kind smile while addressing them by name.

Nanoha just smiled at him, Alisa and Suzuka looked at him with confused faces and Fate, well, she was watching him with a wary look. She could feel magic from him, but it was as if he was trying to hide it.

There was something not right about this person, but she couldn't ask because of the girls next to her. She really wished that she could tell her crush where she was from and that she could do magic, but knew the rules.

She sighed a little, softly.

"You do that a lot?" stated a caring voice.

Fate glanced at Nanoha with a little bit of shyness in her eyes.

"_She was watching me..."_ she thought.

She saw that she was waiting for answer but was saved by the dark-haired man.

"Miss Takamachi, will you and your friends be coming along?" he asked nicely, trying to not sound impatient.

Nanoha just smiled at him.

"Yes, Zero, let's go," she stated as she, Alisa, and Suzuka started to follow him to the limo. Nanoha stopped and turned to Fate, who wasn't following. She looked straight into red eyes and again saw deep sadness.

"_Why do you look so sad? I want to take away that sadness from you eyes," _she stated from the depth of her heart and soul.

"Fate, aren't you coming?" she asked.

"I wasn't invited to come along," Fate stated with little to no emotion.

"Fate, I would like you come with me, I would feel better if you did—if that is alright with you, Zero?" she asked, not knowing where this emotion was coming from. She could tell that her voice sounded more grown up and something else was there that she couldn't place.

She knew that she didn't know Fate that well, but another part of her, a deeper part, wanted this beautiful blonde next to her.

"_Did I just think Fate was beautiful?"_ she thought, blushing a little. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. She glanced behind her and saw Suzuka giving her best friend a nod that she understood, even if she didn't really.

"Miss Takamachi, Miss Taylor has already told me if you wish to bring someone else, you may," Zero stated still holding the umbrella up over their heads. He faced Fate as he continued. "I believe that she would be more than willing to meet with you, Miss Fate," he stated as if to daring her to try and say no.

Fate knew from his voice that this Miss Taylor somewhat knew that she would be here and that she wanted her to go with her Nanoha.

"_Whoever this person is wants something from Nanoha, but what?"_ Fate asked herself.

She glanced back at Nanoha and saw hope in her eyes that she would come along. She knew her mission, but who the hell could say no to those pretty eyes? She slowly nodded and walked to them. As soon as she stepped next to Nanoha, the copperhead clung to her and wasn't letting go for fear that she would change her mind.

"_Thank you_," Nanoha stated in her mind.

"_You're welcome," _came the reply in her head, but it sounded like Fate's voice.

Nanoha glanced at Fate with confusion.

"_What is going on? Did I just hear Fate's voice again? But that can't be right…" _she stated to herself, shaking her head a little.

As they reached the limo, Zero opened the back door for them. They got in and he closed the door behind them. He let the umbrella drop and folded it up as he walked back around the limo. He stopped before he opened the door to the driver's seat.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked to the person watching, thinking they were well-hidden.

The man stepped out of his hiding place as if he wasn't hiding at all. The man had short blond hair and round glasses and nice-looking clothes—a yellow fall sweater and brown pair of pants.

"Sorry, just walking by," stated the man as he turned and started walking away.

"Tell your Card Mistress that if she wants to know something, she should come herself," Zero stated with a grin and coldness in his voice. The man stopped dead in his tracks but didn't look back, just nodded his head and disappeared from sight. Zero then opened the door and drove them to his own mistress' house.

It didn't take long for them to get there. They didn't say much on the way. Each was in their own head. Well, in the case of Alisa and Suzuka, they were in each other's—every once in awhile one would say something that would make the other blush a deep red. Nanoha would ask them if something was up, but they both shook their heads that everything was alright. The copperhead would just smile at them knowingly—they liked one another and if they weren't a couple already they soon would be.

Every once in a while Nanoha would glance at the blonde next to her and see she was still watching the rain, as if trying to find something in it. She was still clinging to her, but didn't feel bad about it, and hoped that Fate was alright with it.

It was as if she felt ten times better with her around than anyone she knew, and she did really know her.

"_What is this feeling that I have? She's making my heart race,"_ she stated in her mind.

"_Master, don't be afraid!" _stated a misty voice.

It happened again; her head begin to throb. She removed her arm from Fate's, and placed it on her forehead. This got Fate to turn away from her window and to the copper redhead next to her.

"Nanoha?" she asked with worry in her voice.

Nanoha just waved it off.

"She gets this from time-to-time; it's part of the monthly thing," Suzuka explained while looking through her bag, trying to find something that would help.

"Oh..." was that Fate could say even when deep-down she felt it was something more than that.

The limo pulled up and stopped in the front of the house. Zero got out again. Renee was waiting and already had an umbrella open for them. Zero opened the back door and the four stepped out and under the umbrella.

The five walked up the steps and entered. Nanoha just glanced around and saw it had not changed from the last time she'd been there. Fate, Alisa, and Suzuka just kept glancing around. They couldn't believe how pretty this place was.

"Man, I wouldn't mind having this place after I move out," stated Alisa—even if her girlfriend had a house somewhat like this, it didn't mean she didn't want one of her own.

"Mommy?" stated a quiet voice, not too sure it was her she was seeing.

Nanoha turned to the voice and saw her daughter wearing a cute fall dress.

"Vivio?!" she stated with shock and happiness.

Vivio's eyes lit up like the sun. She took off and ran into her mother's waiting arms.

Nanoha dropped one knee to the floor and welcomed her little girl into her arms. She hugged her tightly, never wanting to let go.

"Vivio..." she stated with tears in her eyes.

"Mommy..." her child said quietly in her mother's hug.

Everyone who was watching was happy for them. Madison glanced around while keeping a calming hand on Lutecia. She knew that her mother was in a coma, and this weekend they would go see her.

After the mother and daughter finished hugging, they stood up. Vivio took her mother's hand, not wanting to let go.

"Mother like daughter," stated Suzuka with a smile. Fate and Alisa both nodded in agreement. Suzuka giggled softy at the two blondes.

"Welcome back, Nanoha," Madison greeted.

Nanoha just bowed a little.

"Thank you for having us, and for looking after my little one and everyone else," she stated, hoping it wasn't any trouble for the singer.

Madison just smiled at her.

"It was no trouble," she replied kindly as she looked over at the others.

"Oh... I'm sorry, this is....." Nanoha started but didn't finish because Madison started to speak.

"Miss Alisa Bannings and Miss Suzuka Tsukimula, it's nice to see you again, but I don't know this lovely lady here," she stated with a smile to Nanoha's best friends and a gentle smile at Fate, but a look that almost stated "I know who you are."

"Miss Taylor, this is Fate T. Harlaown, she is a classmate of ours..._ even if I wish it was more, much more_…" the copperhead told her, with the last part in her head but she pushed it to the side.

Then something dawned on her.

"When did you meet Alisa and Suzuka?" she asked with a little shock in her voice.

Madison just giggled a little at her. She watched Nanoha and saw that she had one hand in her daughter's but with the other she was holding her side. She smiled at all the signs she saw.

"_Oh my... she has the same signs as my best friend did when she was on her period," _she thought with a smug smile.

"I ran into them at the café one morning," she told her while glancing at the couple, her eyes telling them not to say anything. The couple nodded that they understood, but they didn't like it very much.

"Renee, could you please make us some tea and also have one of them Moon's Blood," the mistress of the house told her head maid.

"Right away, Mistress," she said with a slight curtsy and hurried away to the kitchen.

"If you would follow me," Madison requested, as she turned and started down a hallway.

The four older females just glanced at each other, shrugged, and followed.

While Vivio was telling her mother about her week, her best friends were glancing around. As for Fate, well, she was in her own world.

"_I feel like she knew about me and what I am, but that can't be.... What is going on here?"_ she asked herself.

The mistress led them into her personal library and offered them a seat. The couple took the loveseat, while Nanoha, Vivio, and Fate sat on a long couch. Madison took a seat next to the fireplace with Lutecia sitting on her lap.

It wasn't long before Renee came in with a tray of cups. She handed out a cup to each of them. The little ones got a cup of hot chocolate, while everyone else, other than Nanoha, got green tea.

Nanoha glanced in her cup to see it was a light red color. She then glanced in Fate's and saw hers was green. She knew her daughter got hot chocolate, but why did she get the feeling that hers was different?

Madison just watched her and could tell from her face that she was a little confused.

"Is there something wrong with your tea, Nanoha?" she asked calmly.

"No, it's just why is my tea different from Fate's?" she asked with confusion.

Madison just smiled, and Renee just giggled a little.

"Miss Takamachi, that tea will help with your cramps," stated the head maid with an understanding voice.

Nanoha blushed. She knew that they were all females, but still—it was still a little embarrassing! Everyone giggled a little at her in good fun.

"Nanoha, the tea is called Moon's Blood because it helps with your period—I saw all the signs and you reminded me of a dear friend," stated Madison with an understanding smile and also with a cold and lost voice.

"I know that phrase from somewhere?" stated Suzuka. Everyone glanced at her as she thought about it, then it hit her, "That saying was from a book series by the author Anne Bishop," she stated happily.

Renee and Madison just smiled at her and nodded to her that she was right. Vivio and Lutecia were just enjoying their hot chocolate, but were a little confused what the older ones were talking about.

"Mother, what is a period?" asked Vivio, looking up at her mother.

Nanoha choked on her tea. Fate, without thinking, started rubbing her back to help her out.

Nanoha gave Fate a "thank you" smile and turned to her daughter, who was waiting calmly for her to answer her.

"Sweetheart, we'll talk about it later, alright?" answered her mother with a voice of understanding and a little embarrassment.

"Alright," Vivio replied while going back to her drink.

Madison just smiled and saw that Fate had stopped rubbing Nanoha's back. She glanced at Alisa and Suzuka and they were giggling softly to themselves.

She now felt it was the best time to tell her why she had been summoned here.

"Nanoha, do you have a part-time job?" Madison asked her.

Nanoha shook her head and told her that she helped out with her family's bakery, and helped out at the orphanage on the weekends, if need be.

"Well then, I would like to offer you a part-time job in being my assistant while I'm here," she offered her.

Everyone was a little shocked on this offer, none more than Nanoha. The mistress of the house just smiled and glanced outside and saw it was getting dark. She also felt someone. She smiled to herself. She nodded to Renee, who nodded and left.

"Nanoha, you don't have to answer right away, think about it?" she told her before the copperhead could answer.

"In the meanwhile, I know that it's getting late, so I would like to offer a place to stay tonight," she told them all.

They were a little shocked about the offer. Alisa and Suzuka glanced at each other and nodded. They then told them they would stay but first needed to call their parents to tell them where they were. Nanoha just nodded yes and pulled her daughter into her lap and held her. Vivio was more than happy about this.

When Madison turned to Fate she shook her head no.

"I thank you for your offer, Miss Taylor, but I really must return home," stated Fate with a slightly upset voice.

"It's alright Fate, I understand that you have things you need to do," she stated as if she knew more than she let on.

This made Fate pause, there was something not right here, and also the fact that her Nanoha was staying. She knew that her mother was more than willing to let her stay, but there was something she needed to check.

"Fate, you alright?" asked the copperhead next to her.

Fate turned her head to her and smiled at her.

"Yes, I'm alright," she replied even if her eyes told a different story. Nanoha saw it too.

"_Why are you lying to yourself, Fate?" _she asked herself.

Nanoha turned her head so she was looking forward again. What no one saw was that her eyes flashed.

After dinner and everyone had said their goodbyes, Fate walked outside with Madison and Renee next to her. When they got to the limo, Zero opened the door for her, she got in but before Zero closed the door Madison started to speak.

"Fate, don't let your rules stop you from caring about and loving her," she stated with a calm voice and understanding.

Then Zero closed the door before Fate could ask what she meant by that. As the limo drove away, Madison sighed.

"Mistress?" asked her head maid.

"I have a feeling that she will have a harder time than I did," she stated and turned and walked back into the house.

As Vivio was getting really for bed, Nanoha was glancing out the window of the room that she, Lutecia, and Vivo would be sleeping in. She would have slept with her best friends, but she had a feeling that they would be doing something that she wished she and Fate would someday do.

_"Wait? Did I just have a thought like that about Fate?"_ she asked herself with a blush and shook her head.

The door to the bathroom opened with Lutecia and Vivio in their nightgowns.

Nanoha smiled at the two as they got into bed. Vivio snuggled up next to her mother while Lutecia pushed her back next to Vivio's. It wasn't long before they were asleep.

The door opened a little and then closed. What that person saw was a white light form around Nanoha, a red light form around Vivio and a dark purple light form around Lutecia.

While everyone was fast asleep, well, other than Nanoha's best friends, Madison was in the living room, gazing outside.

"Mistress, I was told by Zero to let you know that one of her people showed up today—some guy with short hair blond hair and glasses. He also said to tell you that he had another form, but he couldn't tell what it was before the man disappeared," stated a maid.

"Thank you, you may go," she told her.

The maid curtsied and left.

"Julian," she stated with an upset voice. As the rain started to fall even faster Madison knew that she still had time, but not much. Her face fell when she thought about her, but for now she hoped that Fate and Nanoha wouldn't fall into the same trap that she did. Lightning flashed and she gazed into the darkness of her heart.

Meanwhile, Fate was in deep thought. She knew that she shouldn't have left, but something inside her told her that she should.

"She knows more than she is letting on and if Nanoha takes the job it could be bad for her, but I don't know what to do, I ….." she didn't finish when the limo stopped at her house. She thanked the driver and got out before he could even get out.

The rain was coming down harder now. She walked quickly. The limo drove away into the darkness. She was about to head inside when she felt someone watching her. She started to glance around. She couldn't tell where it was coming from, but she felt like she knew this aura.

She turned her head up to the roof when she heard giggling. There, standing on the rooftop, was the one person she couldn't believe was there.

"How?" was she could think to say.

Next Time: Fate gets taken by the person that wants her. Nanoha's feelings start to show more while at school. While at School both Fate and Nanoha find out about a fall dance. Well one of them asks the other or well they hind from what they feel, find out - In Chapter Six—"Can I Have This Dance?"


	6. Can I have this Dance?

Flower of Tears

by

Black Rose

Chapter Six — Can I Have This Dance?

The soft rain fell from the heavens, bringing new life to its world. Fate couldn't keep her eyes off the White Devil who was standing on top of her house. How did she know I lived here? she thought.

Fate didn't trust her, but then again she didn't trust much of anyone other than her family and best friend.

The White Devil softly leaped from the roof, wings flaring behind her. Droplets of water shot through the air, soaring off the sodden feathers. She touched down a little ways from Fate, wings rustling as they folded against her back.

Fate slowly moved into a fighting stance, ready for anything.

"Sir, started up?" asked Bardiche.

Fate was about to answer when the White Devil interrupted.

"If she wishes to attack me, I will not stop you, but at least hear me out," the White Devil asked.

Fate waited for the White Devil to speak, but the sound of the raindrops smacking against the cement was making it very hard to hear. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. What was there to say? Nothing. She didn't—couldn't—allow this person to matter ... if it was a person at all.

The feathers ruffled, sending the collecting raindrops splattering to the ground like bullets. Soft rain continued to stream down, causing the White Devil's dress to cling tightly to her skin. Yet, even though the dress was white, it hadn't become transparent.

It was ... modest.

A devil with modesty—how amusing! Fate thought, but then again she did look very cute. She shook her head of the thoughts that came to her.

"I'm not here to fight; my master felt that there was something wrong with you, so I'm here to make sure that you're alright," the White Devil said to her with an upset voice, as if she were about cry.

Fate was confused now. Was this person telling her that her master was worried about her or something?

"What are you talking about? Who is your master?" Fate asked, getting a little upset herself.

The White Devil moved her head a little, looking at her, and felt something new in her. _It looks like Master likes her more than I thought. _ She then started to walk slowly up to Fate with a small smile on her face.

"Bardiche!" yelled Fate.

The White Devil stopped and giggled a little as she watched Fate Henshin. _Oh my, I scared the cute lightning bolt._

As the white light faded, Fate stood with her weapon and in her full armor. The two watched each other. One ready to attack, while the other thought how sexy Fate looked in her outfit.

"Fate ..." The White Devil stated in voice that sent shivers down her spine. It was like needles hitting every nerve in her body at once. The White Devil then slowly lifted her hand and brought it up to her chest, next to her heart.

"Master is Master, but she isn't awake right now. All I know is that she is very worried about you," she stated with a little smile.

Seeing the still confused face on Fate, she shook her head a little.

"Fate, like Bardiche I well keep my master safe until she awakens and understands what is happening to her," she said with an edge to her voice. She then faded away.

Fate glanced around, waiting for the attack. What happened next shocked the hell out of her. The White Devil reappeared right in front of her.

"Fate, Master is not your enemy," she said softly, like it was coming from all around her. She then leaned in and kissed her full on the lips. Fate didn't move; some part of her wanted to push this young woman away, but another part of her felt this was right and wanted to pull her closer, never let go. Fate's eyes started to close slowly.

"Sir is safe," stated Bardiche.

The White Devil pulled back a little. Fate's eyes were half closed, but what was showing was glowing. This put a smile on her face, until she felt something.

"Get away from her!" yelled a young voice through the rain.

"Bardiche, take care of her until she is ready," The White Devil stated and jumped back just before a blot of energy hit where she was standing.

Fate's Bardiche put a sheild around his master, to protect her from the blast.

"SIR!" yelled Bardiche, getting his master to shake her head.

"What?" She glanced around. She saw her best friend attacking the White Devil, who was just dodging what was being thrown at her.

Hayate knew that she wasn't at 100% yet, but was close to it. She found out that Fate Henshin and thought she was in trouble, so she went to see what was going on. To say she was shocked to find the White Devil very close to her best friend was an understatement.

Now she was hovering a little ways from her enemy, but she felt something. It was sadness coming from this person. Why would she feel sadness?

"Hayate," said Fate, flying up to her.

The short, dark haired friend turned to her to make sure there was nothing wrong with her. Other than her cheeks being a little red nothing seemed wrong with her.

"Fate, you alright? she asked.

"Yes," she replied in an even voice, but also sounded upset a little.

From the wet ground, the White Devil stood there, watching them with a sad face.

"Master ..." she whispered with tears in her eyes. She then felt the two other mages land on the ground facing her. She glanced at them with small smile. "I must go now, just remember what I told you, Fate," she stated with a hard tone, but with deep sadness. Her wings then folded around her and she vanished before they could do anything about it.

"What was that all about?" asked Hayate.

"I'm not too sure, other than she told me that her Master was very worried about me and that her Master wasn't my enemy," the blonde told her best friend with confusion in her voice.

The Mistress of the Darkness Book glanced at her and also saw a little red in her cheeks. She then knew that something more happened, not just talking, but was going to let Fate come to her when she was ready to tell.

"I think it would be best that we get out of the rain before we get sick," stated Hayate while powering down.

Fate nodded her understanding and did the same. The two best friends walked very quickly into the house. What they didn't see was that another person was watching.

"Well, I say things are going better than I thought," she stated. The young woman was sitting on a stone wall across the street from Fate's house. She wore a black and white kimono. She then moved her shakujo to her right hand and smiled when she saw something moving in the night sky. She closed her eyes and a little light flashed and disappeared.

Floating in front of her was a jewel seed. She smiled at it.

"Well, would you say it's time to put a new player in this little play?" she asked nicely as if she was talking to a pet dog. The jewel seed made a ding sound and a little white light shone from its form. The women smiled and nodded her head.

"Thank you, little one. Now go before they find you," she told it and, without another word, the jewel seed flashed away.

"Well now, how will they handle this?" she asked the sky. She then hit the wall with her shakujo. The rings hit one another other and she vanished.

It was the same dream again. She was standing in a white tree forest.

"Master," stated a voice that was coming from all around her. It was like the wind was talking to her. She then felt it again: a person with her back-to-back.

"How are you?" Nanoha asked, trying to figure out what was going on, why she kept having this same dream.

"You know who I am, you always have," stated the other female voice.

"I feel like I do, but what is going on with me?" she asked.

"You're starting to awaken. Please don't fear me, I just wish to help you."

Nanoha slowly started to turn when a gentle hand stopped her. "Master, have faith in yourself and follow your heart to your lightning Princess," the other female voice stated, and then the copper redhead saw flashes of the blonde that had taken her heart away.

"Fate …What is going on?" she asked herself. Then she heard her little one's voice.

"Mommy …"

Nanoha glanced around, looking for her daughter. She didn't feel the other person. But then she started to feel the cold around her.

Nanoha sat up in bed. Her eyes glanced around; she was back in the guest room.

She moved her right hand to her forehead.

"That dream again, what does it mean?" she asked herself. What she didn't she was that her daughter Vivio was standing next to the bed, watching her mother. She waited for her mother to notice her, but, after a while, she knew that she needed to say something—or in this case do something.

"Mommy!" she yelled and jumped on her and took her mother down on the bed with her.

"Eee!" yelled Nanoha, who was caught off guard by her daughter's attack. Vivio just giggled happily as her mother just smiled and shook her head. "Vivio, what do you say?" her mother asked with a tone that said behave.

Vivio knew that tone well, and blushed. "Good Morning, Mother. I'm sorry," she replied and glanced down.

Nanoha knew she couldn't stay mad at her, but she needed her to understand that that wasn't a good way to get her to wake up, but it was funny and a little fun. She glanced at her daughter and saw that she was still in her night shirt. She looked down at herself and she was still in her bedclothes, too. She sighed. She then moved and pulled her soon to be daughter into a hug, which was returned. "Good Morning, Vivio," she stated softly.

"Mommy," replied her daughter.

What they didn't see was that they had people watching them. Alisa and Suzuka along with everyone from the orphanage. They all had long sighs and smiled at them.

"Alright you two, it's about time to head to school; get your lazy bums out of bed right now," stated Alisa with a tone that promised she would make them pay if they didn't.

The mother and daughter just stared at them and blushed.

Suzuka glanced at her girlfriend and got a playful smile in return.

"Sweetheart, I wouldn't be saying that if I were you. How long did it take you to get up?" she asked all too sweetly.

Alisa glanced at her with a shocked face, and turned her head the other way. "I don't know what you're talking about ... _that was mean_," she said and thought the last part.

Everyone laughed at her. After a while, everyone got ready to go downstairs for breakfast. Down in the dining room, Madison was sitting in her chair and glancing out the window. The sun made the grass shine from all the rain last night. One of her maids walked into the room and headed right to her.

"Yes?" Madison asked.

"Mistress, I just got word that the plane has landed safely and that she is on board with everyone else," stated one of her maids.

"Thank you, you may go," she replied kindly. When she knew that she was alone, she closed her eyes and sighed sadly. "You came faster than I hoped, but you won't be able to stop what I already started," she stated with hate and sadness.

The door opened and her guests walked through. She got up and greeted her them. It wasn't long before everyone was eating and getting ready to head out.

As soon as everyone was done eating and getting all their things, Zero walked into the room and stated that the limos where ready for them.

Everyone nodded their thanks. Nanoha, Alisa, and Suzuka were about to head out before Madison stopped them.

"Alisa, Suzuka, could I speak to you both before you leave?" the Mistress of the House asked. The couple glanced at each other and then at Nanoha. "She can stay as well, but what I have to say is for you two," Madison said with a kind voice.

Nanoha just smiled and shook her head. "No, it's alright. I'll wait outside with everyone else, and, as for your job offer, I will let you know by the end of the week if not sooner. Is that alright with you Miss Taylor?" she asked with a voice very mature for her age.

"I'll await your answer; please have a great day and if you need anything feel free to call anytime," Madison stated back with happiness in her voice.

Nanoha nodded her head and then left them. As soon as she was outside, the couple turned to the people who gave them their powers.

"How are you two holding up?" Madison asked before they could ask anything, and sat down in one of the chairs. The couple was a little confused by her question. Madison just giggled a little at them. "The two of you have just come to find out that magic is real, and that your best friend has just started awakening in her own magical powers. Also, there's the fact that you just had your very first real battle a little while back. Oh, let's not forget the best part—that you two had a very busy night," Madison told them with a playful smile and then took a sip of her tea.

The couple glanced at each other and then blushed a deep red. The Mistress of the House just giggled and shook her head and waited for them to answer.

"As for the magical part, it's a little hard to understand, but the chokers that you gave us have helped us a lot in the last weeks with that," Suzuka stated.

"And like you said, we need to be there for Nanoha, even if we don't understand it all, we will do everything we can to help her," Alisa stated. Her tone said that no one was going to hurt her best friend, or girlfriend for that matter.

Suzuka nodded that she too felt the same. Madison smiled at them and nodded her understanding.

"Thank you, and I will do everything that I can to help as well. Just tell her about you guys, not the magical part—let her figure it out on her own—I mean you two being a couple," she asked of them.

The couple looked uneasy about this; it wasn't until then that Madison got up and walked over to window, that they felt a deep sadness coming from this lovely lady.

"Not telling her will hurt more than keeping it from her, believe me, I know," Madison stated with a deep sadness.

Suzuka frond, glanced at her girlfriend, closed her eyes, and nodded her head.

"Come on, Alisa, it's time to go. Thank you again," stated Suzuka while dragging her confused lover with her. As the door closed, the Mistress of the House started to cry.

"Please tell her ..." she started in a low voice. Madison held herself with one hand while her other hand kept her from falling to the floor.

"Mistress?" asked a worried voice that held understanding. The Head Maid, Renee, walked over to her and hugged her Mistress. As soon as Madison felt her, she broke down.

"I wouldn't let it happen to them..."stated Madison through her sobbing voice.

Renee just held her closer, trying to give what little comfort she could. She knew that this sadness was too deep for her to take away. She glanced up when she saw a white light and then heard a ringing sound. There, floating a little ways from them, was her Mistress's shakujo.

"You're worried about her too, aren't you," Renee stated more than asked.

The staff just rang its answer. The Head Maid smiled at it. "Thank you," was all that was said as the house was filled with the tears of its owner.

Once Zero dropped the little ones off and started to head to the high school, he glanced back at the high school students. The two youngest ones looked like they were still trying to wake up, the couple were just talking to the women that his mistress told him to watch out for, and to watch out for the other people.

It didn't take long to get to the high school. The white limo parked in front. Zero got out and opened the door for them.

"Have a great day, ladies," he stated while he bowed to them.

"Thank you," they all stated to him with a small bow as well.

The four young ladies walked to school building. He watched them until he felt something. He glanced around; it wasn't until he saw Miss Harlaown, her best friend Miss Yagami, and her brother Mr. Harlaown walking down the sidewalk that he realized it was them he was feeling.

"Well, at least her best friend is up and walking around," he stated to himself. He then got back in the limo and started home.

Fate softly sighed as she walked to the school.

"Something wrong, Fate?" asked Hayate keeping an eye on her.

"Yeah, I just really can't understand how she found out where we live," Fate said.

"I wouldn't worry about it, Fate, the Captain said that it could have been just a fluke, but just in case we have people looking into it," stated Chrono. The two young ladies glanced and giggled at him. "What?" he asked not too sure if he wanted to know.

"My dear brother, why do you always call her mother and not Captain?" Fate asked with a playful smile.

"Oh be quiet, Fate," stated Chrono while walking away from them. He headed to his own locker that was on a different side of the school. The two best friends just laughed out right at him. Once they got a hold of themselves, they started to head to their own lockers. As Nanoha and everyone was walking down the hall, they saw that the school was very lively today.

"I can't wait for the fall dance; I hope he asks me!" stated one of the female students.

"Yeah, well I need to find a new dress and I'm so going to need some new shoes," stated her friend.

Nanoha glanced around and saw that everyone was talking about this dance. "What dance are they talking about? Prom isn't until May." she asked one of her friends as she opened her locker. Alisa looked at her funny.

"Nanoha, really, I wonder where your head is sometimes," Alisa said while shaking her head.

Nanoha was about to answer her when she felt a warm feeling come over her. She glanced around and saw the one person she was hoping to see. "Fate!" she yelled and moved past her friends.

Fate was a little taken back, and she blinked. Everyone around them was watching some with just amused looks, others not so friendly, while others just glanced their way and then went back to what they were doing.

"Good morning," stated a very happy Nanoha, while blushing at her embarrassment. _I can't believe that I just did that, _she thought.

"It's alright, I don't mind," stated Fate without thinking.

Nanoha gave her a confused look, while Fate was trying to figure out why she was giving her that look. "Fate, why did you say that? I didn't say anything to you other than good morning." Nanoha just smiled at her while tilting her head a little.

Fate shook her head not too sure why she did it; she would have sworn that she heard Nanoha talk. "Anyway, good morning, Nanoha, How are you feeling today?" she asked with a little blush of her own.

Just as she was about to reply, her head started to throb. She put one of her hands on her head and closed her eyes. She saw a flash of a woman kissing Fate in the rain. She then felt someone pull her into a hug and the pain went away. She slowly reopened her eyes and saw that she was being healed by the very cute blonde.

She started to blush a deep red. She glanced around and saw that Alisa and Suzuka where just leaning on the lockers, both watching her with concern. She also saw Fate's best friend watching, but she looked like she was trying not to laugh at them.

"You alright?" asked Fate.

The copper-headed young woman just glanced up at her shyly.

"Yeah, I better head to class," Nanoha said and slowly moved away from the warm body, even if she really didn't want to. It was making her heart jump every time she was very close to her and this really confused her. As she walked to her class with her friends, she couldn't get rid of the image of Fate kissing this other women in a silver-white dress. Something seemed so familiar about that woman, but she couldn't place it.

Fate watched as her crush walked away with her friends. Her eyes stared after Nanoha and then started to head south, but she caught herself. _WOW! Down girl,_ she told herself.

"Fate, as much as I know you would love to watch that backend, we really do need to get to class as well," stated Hayate with her all knowing look.

Fate just glared at her and started to laugh at Hayate's cute puppy eyes.

"You know that doesn't work on me," Fate told her while walking to their first class.

"I know, but I bet that if Miss Takamachi did it, you would fall over and do what you were told," replied Hayate with a playful smile.

"Oh shut up, Hayate," Fate replied back just as playfully and rolled her eyes at the same time.

Hayate just giggled as they entered the classroom, took their seats, and waited for the teacher to start class. The school day went along like any other. The teacher gave homework, and so on. By the time lunch came Nanoha couldn't wait. She and her best friends went to the roof to have lunch. The sun was out with a little cloud cover.

"So what do you think of this fall dance?" Suzuka asked everyone.

"I don't know. I'm not much into those things, and there really isn't any guy that I would say yes to," stated Nanoha who took a bite of her sandwich.

"What about Yuno?" Suzuka asked, glancing at her girlfriend.

Nanoha just shook her head. "He's a nice guy and all, but I just don't feel anything of him in that away," replied Nanoha. Nanoha watched them very close, and saw that Suzuka kept giving Alisa looks. She smiled at that. _Maybe I can help them out a little, she thought_ with a somewhat evil smile.

"So Suzuka, have you thought about who's going to ask you to the dance? I have seen some of the guys give you some looks," said Nanoha a little too nicely.

"What guys!" asked Alisa, getting a little upset that some guys were checking out her woman.

_Got you_! the copper-head thought.

"Why are you so upset, Alisa? It's not like you like Suzuka or anything, besides I have also heard in my history class some of the boys were thing of asking you," stated Nanoha, who was a little pleased with herself.

"That is sick! I would never go with any of them; they all have the same thing on their mind, and besides I'm taking Suzuka to the dance, so there," Alisa stated all high and mightily.

Suzuka just gasped at her girlfriend in shock; she could believe that she just did that, and what...? Suzuka turned to her best friend and saw her smiling like she just won a new game.

"You knew, didn't you?" Suzuka stated more than asked.

Nanoha just glanced around, trying to act innocent as if she didn't know what Suzuka was talking about.

"You little devil," replied Alisa as she realized what she'd said and what had happened.

Nanoha couldn't take it anymore and she started to laugh at them. It was too cute. After she calmed down, she just smiled at them. "Yes, I knew. It wasn't hard to figure out, but I don't mind that you two are dating; you're my best friends and I wanted you to be happy," she told them.

The couple just blushed and whispered "thank you" to her. Nanoha got up and gave them a hug. "I love you too, and I don't care if you're the same sex, just be happy," she told them with the most caring voice that she had ever used with them. As the three best friends finished their lunch and talked some more, they felt better with one another.

They said their goodbyes at the end to their afternoon class. The one class that Nanoha was looking forward to was gym. From what she had heard, they were going to learn how to dance. After she changed and walked into the gym, she saw Fate leaning on the wall waiting for class to start.

Her heart started to speed up again. _Why do keep feeling this way whenever I'm around her_? she asked herself, and then she walked over to her. "Hi, Fate!" She greeted her with a warm smile.

Fate openwd her eyes and saw pretty violet looking at her. She blushed a little. "Good afternoon, Nanoha," Fate replied, trying not stare at her crush.

Nanoha just giggled at her. "What's wrong, Fate, did some guy ask you to the dance?" she asked as she leaned up against the wall alongside Fate.

"What? No, no one has asked me yet, but I don't know anyone well," Fate stated while glancing around the gym.

"Why not? You're a very attractice woman, with beautiful, long blonde hair; I mean any guy with a right mind would ask you, but then again, most guys in this school only have one thing on their mind," Nanoha stated while glancing at Fate. Her eyes roamed up and down Fate's body.

_Wow, she really does have a good looking body, and man, look at those legs! And_—_WAIT!_ —_what am I thinking? I'm checking her out, but why do I not feel wrong about this?_ she asked herself with a little confusion.

Fate was watching her and saw that she was checking her out. She blushed. It wasn't until she heard the teacher start class and ask everyone to find a partner, that she shook her head. She got off the wall and turned to her crush. She slowly extended her hand out to her. "Can I have this dance?" she asked nicely.

Nanoha just blinked a little. She glanced around and saw that the class was split up and people were practicing dancing. She glanced back at the cute lightning bolt.

"Yes, you may," she replied and placed her hand in Fate's. The next thing that happened shocked them both. They felt a wave a power flow through them. They got into stance and, without another word, they started to waltz around the gym. It was so beautiful that everyone had to stop and watch them.

No one could tell who was playing the guy part or the girl part. It was like they both were taking turns. What no one saw was that a short, black haired man was watching from the doorway.

"I see now why she told me to watch both of them," he stated to himself and smiled somewhat evilly. _This should be good_, he thought as he saw something in the corner of his eye.

** Next Time:** With the dance only a couple weeks away, will Nanoha or Fate find someone to go with? Also, will this new jewel seed stop them from going? And who is this short haired, blonde woman that shows up at the battle scene? Find out in Chapter Seven – Endless Waltz.


	7. Endless Waltz

Flower of Tears

by

Black Rose

**Chapter Seven—Endless Waltz**

A**/N: I would just like to say sorry for the long wait, but here it is, the next chapter.**

**Just to let you know, the song in this chapter is Monochrom by Haruka Tomatsu from Star Driver anime, enjoy it —Black Rose**

There is always a night and a day, light and dark, an endless waltz that has been from the beginning of time and one that will keep coming without anything ever to stop it.

Soft rain fell gently and one could feel the cold air, as a young woman with long light purple hair done in a bun held by a small shakujo slowly placed a small bouquet of flowers on the grave and smiled at it. The words engraved into it were her mother's name; she had died a couple years back. When the funeral was taking place many people came from all over, but by the end the one person she wished that would be there for her never showed up—not even a phone call.

It was weeks later, after she had taken over the company, that she finally got an e-mail from her, saying that she was sorry that she had missed it and that she hoped that she was alright. This made the young woman's eyes glow with deep sadness, but she pushed it aside.

"Hello, Mother. I'm doing well and the company is also doing very well," she stated. She glanced behind her as her head maid placed an umbrella over her. She smiled at her and glanced back at the grave.

"I must say that things have changed since the last time I talked to you. I have met this young lady named Nanoha and she is very powerful and I'm helping her out, to some degree,"

"Don't worry, I'm not falling for her like I did the _last_ magical girl… besides I do believe she likes another girl named Fate, though I'm not too sure," she stated with a little giggle in her voice.

"As for my new play, I have a new role and I can't say I like it that much, but if I have to play this part then I'm going full-out," she stated with a darkness in her voice.

She smiled as she felt a calming wash over her and she heard a little dinging from her shakujo. She felt someone else was around and she smiled even more when the person walked out of the shadows and slowly came up to them.

She glanced back and smiled once more at her mother's grave.

"Well, it looks like I need to get going, Mother. I'll stop by again when I get the time," she stated with a small bow and then turned and started towards the exit. Her head maid just walked beside her, keeping the umbrella over her mistress' head.

The other just stood a little ways from them but kept walking with them.

"I take it that something happened that I need to know about?" she asked, not even stopping to address them.

"Yes, they were in gym class when somehow their devices started to activate, without the owners knowing about it," stated the person.

"I see. And did anyone see this happen, and, more importantly, did she appear?" she asked, getting right to the point.

"No, on all levels—I took care that nothing happened, even if it looked like something was going to happen between the two of them from the way that they were looking at one another," the person stated with amusement in their voice.

"Good work," the mistress stated, with amusement in her own voice as she stopped next to her limo. Zero opened the door for her, she got in and before the door was closed she told them to keep her informed, and the door closed. Zero and Renee nodded to the person as they stepped back into the shadows and they got into the limo and drove away.

"Where to, Mistress?' asked Zero.

"Let's go see if Miss Takamachi has thought about my job offer," she stated after thinking about it for awhile.

"Yes, Mistress," he replied.

"Renee, any word on her, or her group?" the mistress asked while opening a file and looking through it.

The head maid turned to her mistress and smiled at her.

"They just got in late last night, and so have not done anything, as of yet," she told her, then turned back to look ahead. Just as the mistress was about to glance back down, her cell phone rang.

"This is Taylor," she answered.

"I see, have you been able to get all of the information downloaded?" she asked the person on the other line. When she got her answer, she smiled evilly.

"I see, could we use that information to take it over?" she asked and her eyes glowed with power when she got her answer.

"Very well, make it happen and tell everyone that they can expect a bonus on their checks if they can get it done by tonight," she told the other person and then hung up.

"Checkmate," she said softly to herself and told Renee that her research group needed to have a bonus on their checks this month. The head maid wrote it down just as they pulled up to the school as it was letting out for the day.

As this was all going on, Nanoha was walking down the hallway after a long day of classes. For her, she really enjoyed any class she had with friends and with a young woman with long blond hair that she felt was becoming a very close friend as well.

As she glanced out one of the windows, she saw that it was raining softly. She knew that with how cold it was getting that it would soon turn to snow. She then smiled at the sight that ran passed her. She had to blink a couple of times but still giggled at it. She then felt a hand on her shoulder. She glanced behind to her best friends, smiling at her.

"Alisa, Suzuka."

"What are you giggling about, Nanoha?" asked Alisa. She and Suzuka turned their heads as Nanoha just pointed out the window. There, in middle of the rain, was Teana, chasing and yelling at Subaru for something that they couldn't put their minds around or didn't want to know in the first place.

"Wow, those two are at it again?" stated a new voice from behind them.

The three turned to see Hayate just smiling and shaking her head.

The short brown haired young woman glanced at them and smiled. She knew that her best friends had a crush on the copper redhead and that alone she wanted to get to know her, but there was something else about her that felt, well, off, or was it something different all together?

She then glanced at Alisa and Suzuka and knew that something was different about them, but she couldn't pinpoint it. Everyone knew those two had been dancing around for years and it looked like they may have just finally gotten together. But she knew it wasn't that; it was like they held some kind of magic or something, but she couldn't tell—every time she would get close, something would get in her way, or it would just disappear altogether.

"I take it that you have seen them act like this before?" asked Nanoha, knocking Hayate out of her thought.

Hayate just nodded her head and giggled a little.

"I'd say at least once a day, on my way back from gym class. If I didn't know better, I would say that they liked one another," she stated and waited for the shocked looks, but nothing came, just nodding in understanding.

"I have known those two awhile now, and they act like some very, _very_ good friends of mine," Nanoha stated playfully and glanced at her two best friends and saw a blush form on Suzuka's face and a deep glare from Alisa.

Hayate smiled evilly and, while glancing at them, knew it was time to get some information. Nanoha saw the look on Hayate's face and just giggled because you could see the look that meant hell for her friends. It was then she felt something and then heard something.

_"I wish they would stop asking. I want to take Nanoha…"_ stated a voice that sounded to be right next to her. She knew this voice. She glanced around until she saw the young woman at her locker.

"Fate?" she asked very softy but she was all the way down the hall, not even near her, so how did she hear her?

"Nanoha, is something wrong?" asked Hayate, seeing the change in the young woman.

"Did anyone else hear Fate call out?" Nanoha asked with deep confusion in her voice, looking at them and seeing them shake their heads, and then glancing back at Fate with worry when she saw the young woman's face as she turned to the boy behind her.

Something about this didn't sit well with her, but couldn't pinpoint it.

Fate was at her locker, getting ready to leave for the day. It was a long day and she just wanted to go home and sink into her bed and not come out. As she was putting a book into her schoolbag she felt someone tap her on her shoulder.

She glanced behind her to see a young man watching her, waiting for her to turn around to address him. She knew what this was about, and this was the fifteenth guy to come up and ask her to the dance that was going on this weekend. It wasn't that she hated men or anything; far from it, she worked with a lot of them, but she just wasn't into dating them to that level.

She glanced down the hall to see the one person she wanted to take to the dance but didn't know if she should or not. She finally closed her locker and turned to address him. She watched as he was trying to get the words out of this mouth and when he finally did, she nicely told him sorry, but no.

The young man looked hurt a little but understood and left her. She then felt a calming hand on her shoulder; she glanced to her side to see her crush just smiling at her.

"You alright, Fate?" she asked with worry in her voice.

Fate shook her head a little and then nodded.

"Let me guess, that is about the third boy to ask you to the dance today?" stated Hayate with a little amusement in her voice but also an understanding, too. She had been asked out a lot, and she just told them she didn't want a date. It wasn't that she wasn't into men—she liked them, but didn't want to date or have a boyfriend at this time; she had other things she needed to worry about, but if they wanted a dance she would be all but happy to.

Fate nodded her head to her best friend and gestured with her hand that the number was even higher than what her friend had guessed. Hayate sighed a little. Nanoha just glanced at the two and thought she was missing something and then turned to her best friends and saw the same face as Hayate's, on them.

"I'm sorry, I must be missing something. Do you get asked out a lot, Fate?" she asked, looking back at a now-blushing Fate. Fate glanced away a little and shyly peeked back at her crush. She didn't really want to tell her that she got asked out a lot—and not all are from guys, and some are not even from around here, or this, planet, for that matter.

"Oh, wow, I have never seen you turn so red before, Fate," stated Hayate with laughter in her voice.

"Oh hush, you," she stated, giggling a little, too, with everyone else.

"_Fate… is cute when she blushes_," thought Nanoha. Just as she thought it, Fate started to turn a deep blush red.

"_She thinks I'm cute... Wow, what do I do?_" a voice stated in Nanoha's head which sounded like Fate, but Fate's mouth didn't move. Nanoha just watched the blonde as if trying to figure out what was going on.

"Fate?" she stated. This got the other to turn to her and see the confused look on her face.

"Yeah, Nanoha?" she replied.

The two looked into each other's eyes, without the others knowing, their eyes started to glow and then stopped. Nanoha found it kind of cute that Fate had a hard time keeping her eyes on her.

"Why do you keep saying no to all those guys? Don't you like them?" she asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.

Fate just blinked again and again, not knowing what to say. It wasn't that she was ashamed of herself that she liked other girls, it's just the girl she liked just asked her, basically, if she liked _her_ like that.

Naonha just smiled when Fate didn't say anything; she had a feeling what the girls in the locker room and in the classroom were saying was at least somewhat true, and she didn't really care if she did like girls; that was a choice that she had, and that it all it was.

She slowly and calmly raised her hand up and cupped the side of Fate's face and turned so they were looking deep into one another's eyes.

"Fate, if you come to the dance I will save just one dance for you, and I don't care what people will say. Oh, and you had better wear a cute dress," she told her while slowly sliding her hand down Fate's face cutely and back to her side. She then turned, and called for Alisa and Suzuka to come along.

Alisa and Suzuka just shrugged their shoulders and smiled. They said goodbye to them and followed their friend out into the soft rain. Hayate said goodbye to them and saw her best friend had not moved. Her eyes were so big Hayate felt that they would pop out if she didn't blink, and it was a face that stated "Did my crush just say that I can dance with her?..."

Hayate just giggled, taking her friend's hand to slowly pull her along like a lost puppy. It wasn't until both of their cell phones rang and they both looked at the caller IDs that they knew they had found another one. They both nodded and headed to a different part of the school.

Outside, Madison was waiting when she felt something and looked out the window to see a yellow and black light shoot into the sky. She just smiled when something caught her eye. It was a poster about the dance this weekend, which made her smile even more. It wasn't until then that she saw the person she wanted to talk to. She was with her best friends.

"Good," she stated and got out of the limo as Zero opened the door.

She had a cute look on her face when she saw that Nanoha had a look of horror on her face and her best friend seemed to trying to say something calming to her.

"I take it that something happened which scared our dear devil," she stated to herself and walked over to them. As she drew closer she could hear what was being said.

"Why did I just say that?" Naonha asked with worry in her voice.

"Don't worry about it—it's just a dance, it's not like a ball or anything," stated Suzuka with a calm and understanding voice.

"But..." she didn't know what to say.

"I take it that you did something you're not too sure about?" asked Madison.

The three stopped to see the singer standing front of them. They could also see the other students looking and pointing at her.

"Miss Taylor?" all three asked at the same time.

Madison just smiled at them warmly.

She then repeated her question and Nanoha just nodded. She then turned and glanced back at them.

"Please follow me, I don't believe you want others to hear about this," she told them as she started to head back to the limo.

The three young ladies glanced around and saw a big group of people around them and blushed a little and followed the young singer.

They smiled at Zero as they stepped into the limo. They took the seats that were around Miss Taylor. She smiled at them and told Zero to take them to headquarters as he stepped into the driver's seat.

The three young ladies just glanced at one another, each trying to figure out what was going on. They watched the singer and actress, who had her eyes closed. Alisa was about to open her mouth, when Madison started to talk.

"I know you have many questions to ask me, but it will have to wait until we get to my company," she stated calmly while opening her eyes.

As they drove the soft sound of the rain could be heard, and as they got closer they could see the tall building of the company that Madison ran. The limo stopped in front of the building and a doorman opened the limo doors for them. The three young ladies got out and then Madison followed.

The doorman bowed to her and she smiled at him. She then gestured that they should follow her. The doorman then opened the front door and they walked in. As they looked around they saw it was big and very active. There were people on their cell phones and others talking to one another. There was also a tour that was being shown.

What really got them was the way that the people addressed Miss Taylor. Everyone who was in her way would get out of her way and bow to her like she was some kind of powerhouse, which wouldn't be far off, if they didn't know better.

Nanoha noted that Miss Taylor didn't look down at anyone and was kind to everyone. She would even stop for a minute or two to talk to someone about something before moving on. They walked into an elevator, which they exited at the top level. It didn't take long to enter a very big office room. There was a small sitting area and a wooden desk that wasn't too far from it. What really got them was the view of the city from the big window behind the desk.

Madison walked over to her desk and pushed a button.

"Renee, could you please bring some tea for our guests," she stated while smiling at them.

"Yes, Mistress," came the reply.

"Now, why don't you have a seat," she told them while gesturing with her hands to the small couch and sitting chairs in the middle of the room. There was also a nice-sized table.

The three young ladies nodded and sat down. It wasn't long before there was a knock on the door and it opened with Renee carrying a tray of cups, as Madison sat down in the chair that was left.

After Renee handed out the warm tea, she stood a little behind her mistress's chair, waiting for orders. She smiled warmly to the young ladies. After Madison watched the young ladies sip their tea she felt it was best to state why she had asked them here.

"Nanoha, may I inquire why you looked down and confused when I picked you and your friends up? Did something happen?" she asked nicely and without sounding like she was pushing her to tell her.

Nanoha just blushed and glanced at her best friends, and saw them give her encouragement, silently saying it was okay to tell her. She nodded a bit and sighed. She then told her what happened, blushing a little after she was done.

Madison smiled to herself while taking a sip of her tea. She watched her hopeful new assistant for a little while and then glanced at her best friends. They looked worried for their friend but also had understanding in their eyes.

Madison smiled and asked.

"Do you like her?"

Nanoha just turned and looked at her with a confused look on her face. What kind of question is that? But then again, it was simple question to ask, yet hard to answer.

"I like Fate. I like being around her, and she is very pretty in her own right, she is very smart, and she works hard," stated Nanoha with more feeling than she would have thought.

Madison just giggled a little—she really did remind her of her—and slowly shook her head and carefully placed the cup back down on the table.

"If I may give my input, Nanoha, I would let your feelings take you where you need to go, no matter what anyone or anything says or does; for if you do have feelings for this young woman, you will in due time, and when that time comes, let her know and let her know with more than words," Madison stated deeply but sadly.

Nanoha looked at her and nodded. She knew that she had time, but somehow deep down she knew that she would know that answer soon than later.

Madison glanced outside at the slowly setting sun and smiled at the sight. She turned to her guests.

"Nanoha, may I inquire if you have thought about my job offer?" she asked nicely and again without pushing her.

Nanoha blushed a little. The truth was that she didn't have time to think it over.

"I'm sorry, I haven't given it much thought since the last time we talked," the copper redhead replied.

"I see. Are you worried about what your family would say, or is it something else?" asked Madison, smiling at her as if to tell her that she wasn't upset by it, but more amused by it.

"Oh, no, my family would think this would be a great opportunity for me, and if I'm thinking about my daughter, I would need to have something to help raise her," she stated, more to herself than anything else.

"What would I be doing, if I took this job?" Nanoha asked. Glancing back at Madison she saw she was sipping her tea again.

Madison again calmly put the cup down and smiled at her.

"More or less, you will be helping me run my company; nothing big, you will just help me work on finding information on groups that we have found out about, and other odds and ends," she stated truthfully.

Nanoha thought about it. It didn't sound that bad, but what about school and all?

As if reading her mind, Madison stated that she would continue to go to school fulltime, as always, and every so often she would come here, such as on the weekends and sometimes after school, to help out.

Nanoha just smiled and nodded her head that she understood. Something else inside her knew that his woman would be truthful in her answer if she just asked the question.

"I have one more question before I take you up on your offer. Why _me_?" she asked.

Madison looked right into her eyes before answering.

"Nanoha, there are things about you, that have not been put in the right light, and I feel that I can help you there. And don't worry, I will never ask anything of you that you feel uncomfortable about, and if you have questions about anything, no matter what about, just ask; I will give you the best answer I can," she answered with understanding and truthfulness coming off her in waves.

Nanoha just blinked a little and smiled. She had a feeling that working here would answer some questions about herself and now she had her friends and her new boss to help her.

"Then I would like to take you up on that offer, Miss Taylor," she stated, getting up and holding out her hand.

"Welcome to my world, Miss Takamachi, and thank you," she stated while shaking her hand.

Alisa and Suzuka smiled at each other and knew that this was just the beginning. Suddenly they felt something they wished they didn't. Nanoha's body stated to glow white. And before they knew it, she fell over, passed out. Madison caught her before she hit the table.

She turned to them with power in her eyes.

"Get to work," she stated with kindness.

They nodded and, closing their eyes, disappeared with a golden and dark purple light.

Madison just put the sleeping body of Nanoha on the couch that her best friends were just in. She then turned to her head maid.

"Watch her, would you please?" she asked nicely before disappearing with a white flash of light. Renee just smiled at the sleeping form of her mistress's new assistant.

"Don't worry, little one, my mistress will look out for you and your other," she stated happily.

A young short haired blonde was walking with her boyfriend and friends down a pathway in the park. She couldn't believe that she was back home. It was nice to see her childhood places again. She didn't know if she would run into her best friend while she was here, but hoped she would. It has been years since they had seen one another or talked. The last time she'd even written a letter, it was an e-mail that she'd sent when her best friend's mother died, she couldn't make it but had sent her best wishes after the loss.

It wasn't until she felt that power again that she stopped to look around.

"Li, do you feel that?" she asked.

Her boyfriend nodded. They both headed to the area that it was coming from. She called on her powers and they both took off to find out what this new power was, for that was why they were here in the first place.

It didn't take long before they walked into a battlefield.

They saw three angel-looking figures flying around with two other female-looking ones—one with small black wings and the other with a scythe type weapon. The next thing they saw was that there was another group of people who were just watching, not too sure what to do.

"Sakura! What is going on?" asked a new voice.

Both Li and Sakura turned to see Kero and Yue flying up to her. It was then that they felt something wash over them. They looked up and saw some kind of whitish wide area barrier force around them. They didn't know what was going on, but they were about to find out.

Fate couldn't believe this—she was throwing everything she had at the white devil, but she would just either move out of the way, or take the spell head on. They were very much equal in all rounds but still she needed to get that jewel seed before they got another one. Suddenly she saw that the jewel seed was about to activate.

"_NO_!" she screamed in her head, and for some reason the White Devil put her hands on her head to stop the headache. This was her chance, she knew it was dangerous but she had to stop it somehow. She ran over, while Hayate kept the Gemini at bay. She placed her open hands around it and closed it.

"Oh, please go back to sleep, please go back to sleep…" she asked it. The pain started to come now. She could feel it cutting into her skin. She was trying not to scream in pain when she felt another pair of hands over hers. She looked up to see the White Devil smiling at her.

"Fate, I don't know why you attacked me and my friends, but, like I said, Master is not your enemy—she wishes to be with you and help you," she stated while looking right into her eyes through her mask.

Fates eyes started to glow a deep red color and she felt something in her wanting to come out.

"What is this feeling?" she asked while still looking at the White Devil. Then from their hands came a white flash. When Fate reopened her eyes she was standing in the middle of a white crystal forest. She looked down and saw that she was wearing a long elegant black dress with a white rose on it with its petals flowing across her chest.

"Where am I?" she asked.

"You're in my master's mind," stated a voice around her.

Then, from out of nowhere, the White Devil appeared in front of her.

"Why are we here?" she asked, not knowing what else to say.

"I believe it's because my master wanted to make sure that you were alright, and for me to tell you it's almost time for the awakening, and you need to be with my master to do that," she stated.

"What 'awakening'?" she asked, but before she could say anything else, she felt something again and a flash of white light snapped her out of it. She glanced ahead and saw the White Devil still looking at her.

"What are you trying to tell me?" she asked herself.

"Bardiche holds the answer, my Fate," stated the White Devil in her head.

They kept looking at one another, trying to read each other. What they didn't know was that the Jewel Seed finally went to sleep.

A young woman was watching from on top of a building. Her eyes were glowing and she smiled at the sight in front of her.

"I think it's time to give them some space, don't you?" she stated and giggled a little when she heard a dinging sound from her shakujo in her hair. She reached behind her and took the shakujo out of her hair and let her hair fall like a calming river.

As everyone watched the scene in front of them, they all started to hear singing. All but Fate and the White Devil turned to see a young woman standing on a building nearby, but couldn't really see her.

_The fluttering snowflakes are the stars' shards; reaching your hands into the sky,_ _you can feel our coming-and-going wishes for each other, can't you?_ _Now everything has become shrouded in a shade of monochrome._

The woman with light purple hair threw her shakujo in the air as her eyes closed. The shakujo started spinning and a magical aura flowed from it. The woman's dress disappeared and from it came the most stunning black and white kimono ever seen.

_The white breaths I softly let out are shaped like the words I wanted to convey._ _Without a doubt, with just their warmth, the sky has become slightly brighter._ _Our encounter, having become your encouragement, is exactly the initiation I wished for._ _The loneliness of having to stare fixedly at darkness has already come to an end._ _When we fold our wings, soaked in sorrow, over each other, they will turn pure __White and become our gentle courage, as we wade towards each's own future. My heart is bursting with excitement as I await the dawn of this secluded world._

The singer opened her arms outward as if to address them. She then folded them like she was praying. Her hair started to braid itself. A straw hat appeared and landed on her head softly, covering the upper part of her head.

_As soon as I bring my light with me on a journey, a new "tomorrow" will begin __within me._ _The fluttering snowflakes are the stars' shards; reaching my hands into the sky,_ _I will always believe in our coming-and-going wishes for each other._ _Now everything has become shrouded in a shade of monochrome. Our strong wills are now in motion, reflecting our waxing-and-waning selves._ _"I will persevere to the end." We smile brightly, with the compass glittering in __our eyes. Defrosting our frozen memories, now together with the love we have found, and without looking back, let's sense each other from the sky's two opposite shores._ _Each following our own trajectories, even if we would never be able to meet again, we will surely be connected somewhere in this light-brimming galaxy._ _The dissipating stars, like fine sands, tenderly caresses my bosom again._ _As I quietly fall into a slumber, the afterimages of my dream will still be shrouded in a shade of monochrome._

She then slowly and with grace moved one arm down to her side and the other out right in front of the shakujo. A magical circle appeared underneath her as the shakujo grew in size. It slowly floated into her open hand. As she gripped her weapon she felt a great power wash over her, it calmed her greatly.

She just moved it to her side as its rings hit one another, making a sound as if a thunderstorm was right over them. Everyone was shaking now because all they could feel was this power coming off her; it wasn't an evil power, just overwhelming.

_My heart is bursting with excitement as I await the dawn of this secluded world._ _As soon as I bring my light with me on a journey, a new "tomorrow" will begin __within me._ _The fluttering snowflakes are the stars' shards; reaching my hands into the sky,_ _I will always believe in our coming-and-going wishes for each other._ _Now everything has become shrouded in a shade of monochrome._

Sakura didn't like the feel of this at all. She glanced at Li and could tell by his face that he, too, didn't like what he was feeling.

She glanced at the new person and felt she knew this singer from somewhere, but that couldn't be; she didn't have magical powers. "Kero, what is going on?" she asked with worry in her voice as she looked over to her full-grown lion guardian.

"I don't know, Sakura, but I have a feeling we were set up," he replied, flying closer to his mistress. As he said that, the young woman looked over at them and smiled evilly.

The young woman disappeared and reappeared in the middle of the two groups. "She's fast," Li thought as he watched this new player. He felt that he knew this person but had never seen her in his life.

"Sakura, be careful, there is something not right about all of this," he yelled over to her. The short blonde nodded that she understood.

The singer glanced down on the ground and saw that Fate and the White Devil were still staring at one another as they both held the jewel seed in their hands. She shook her head a little and giggled. She floated down to the ground next to them.

"You are not needed here anymore, my two lovebirds," she stated softly and with kindness that you could feel coming off of her in waves. She then waved her staff and they disappeared. She glanced up into the sky to see Gemini right next to the Mistress of the Darkness Book.

"I don't believe you want to be away from your best friends, so I will send you to them, just don't do anything to upset them," she stated with amusement in her voice as she repeated what she did before. Before anyone could do anything to stop her, they disappeared.

The singer glanced up at the two groups and reappeared in the sky in between them. She just watched them.

"What have you done with them?" asked Lindy with worry in her voice. Her men were with her, but she knew better than anyone that this woman was powerful, but again there was that feeling of great sadness coming from this person and it somewhat got worse with this new magical girl around.

"They're safe, they didn't need to be here for this," stated the misty voice of the singer while looking around without moving her head.

"Captain Lindy, I would send your son and your men away before they get hurt, or even killed, and I can say that what I did last time was just child's play," she stated with no feelings for the others around her.

"We're not going anywhere, whoever you are," stated Chrono flying next to his mother. The singer just smiled and knew it was time to show them a little of what she could really do. The next thing that happened shocked them all.

An unknown force knocked the group of men from the T.S.A.B to the ground—out cold and bloody. They were alive, but just barely.

"What happened?" asked Chrono, looking at his men and then at the singer. "She didn't move at all, did she?" he asked looking shocked and a little upset.

"Now that you can see I'm not kidding around, I would take your men back to your ship, Chrono, and get them help before they really do die," the singer stated without a care in the world one way or another.

"Do as she said, Chrono," his mother told him with an ordering voice and with an upset voice. Chrono looked from his mother to the singer and understood this was an order and not to backtalk. He was worried, but knew that he needed to get this done or his men would die.

He flew down and cast a spell that sent him and his men back to the ship. As soon as Lindy knew that her men and son arrived back at the ship with safety, she turned back to the force that was in front of her. If she didn't know better, she would have been set up, and what she didn't know was that she was right.

The card mistress couldn't believe that someone would do that. She would have done something to stop it if she had seen anything that happened. Something inside her told her that she knew this person, but some part of her didn't want it to be true. The singer glanced at the card mistress and knew that she was having a hard time with trying to understand what was going on.

She would have smiled if it wasn't for the fact that she had to play this role, to some degree, anyway. "Now that it's just us, I believe we can get started," she stated with a calmness and sadness in her voice.

"Start what, and just who are you?" asked Li from where he was on one of the closest buildings. The singer smiled sadly, and Captain Lindy thought that was odd.

"I take it, even after I sang that song you still don't know who I am," she replied as if she was going to cry. "Well then, the answer you seek is in the Sakura Cards," with real anger in her voice she pointed at the card mistress.

"My cards," Sakura stated and pulled them out with confusion in her voice. One card floated out of its deck and in front of her. She put the others away and flipped the card around to see it was the song card. Her hand stated to shake as she looked at her card and then back at the singer. Her mind knew the answer, and it was scaring her.

"No, you can't be her," stated Kero and Yue, both with shock in their voices.

Now the singer was getting very upset. Her staff started to glow as it, too, was upset with what was going on. She then took off the straw hat and let it fall to the ground. There, standing before them was the one person they couldn't believe. Her purple eyes glowed with power.

"Madison…" stated Sakura softly and with a little worry in her voice as she could feel the power that was deep within her best friend. This was the feeling she'd felt all the way from Hong Kong.

Captain Lindy was just as shocked as everyone else; she couldn't get it through her head how they'd missed this.

"It's nice to see you again after all these years, Sakura," Madison stated with a small happiness but with more sadness and anger in her voice.

"How did you get magic, Madison?" asked Sakura, knowing that her friend's bloodline didn't have any magic in it.

Madison narrowed her eyes and they flashed. She raised her staff above her head. The rings started to glow. Then, from them, a magical circle with symbols appeared above them all.

"Ancient seal of light, I call on you to please come to my aid and send forth your guardians to me, and seal these people in your heavenly light!" she yelled. The white magical circle flowed down until it was under everyone. Everyone studied the circle that was still there.

Everyone could tell it wasn't evil, yet something didn't feel right about this. Then six black flames appeared around Madison, three on each side of her. From within the flames five cloaked people appeared and one big yellow-eyed winged dog with black fur and with the tip of its tail on fire. The dog walked in front of the singer and barked so loudly that everyone that wasn't behind it had to cover their ears.

Madison lowered her staff and glanced at the seal's guardians. She smiled and walked on the magical circle over to the dog, bent down next to it and with her free hand she began to pet it. She then glanced up at everyone else with her smile fading.

"I must say that it's rude to ask someone where they got their powers from before even asking how they have been after all this time," she stated with hurt in her voice, but shock it off.

"Mistress, are these the ones that you were talking about?" asked one of the cloaked figures. She sounded female.

"Yes," was all Madison replied.

The cloaked female just nodded and glanced over at Captain Lindy. Lindy didn't know what to do. This Madison Taylor was the singer that Fate was talking about, who was trying to get Nanonha to work for her. She felt that she needed to get some readings from this person.

"Yuno, what can you tell me about the seal that she summoned?" she asked. Up on the Spaceship Asura, Yuno and Chrono were watching the whole thing. Amy was typing on computer very fast, trying to find anything on this, with Yuno reading along with her.

He looked up at the screen of the Captain, and looked worried. "For the data we have and the research so far is that that seal was used in Lost Logia; that is all. We don't know what it does or how it was mastered, other than that you have to very, very strong in mystic arts," he replied.

While this was going on, Madison smiled and pulled out her cell phone, hit a number, and put it to her ear.

"It's me. Is it done?" she asked the person on the other line. She smiled evilly and nodded while still watching everyone around her.

She could tell that the card mistress was watching her, along with her other friends. Li saw the smile and didn't like what he saw. He didn't care if she was his girlfriend's best friend, he had to stop what was about to happen. He jumped and headed right for her.

"Li, don't!" yelled Sakura, also knowing that something was going on and it wasn't good. Before he could even get near her, one of the cloaked people disappeared and reappeared right behind him. "And where do you think you're going, little man," stated a dark male's voice. Before Li could even move, he was hit with a force he had never felt before. He choked up blood. And fell on the seal.

The cloaked person land right next to him and smiled down at the sight.

"Li!" yelled Sakura, but before she could move to go help him, Madison stated "Do it," and put her phone away and looked up at her best friend. "He's not dead. Just in a lot of pain, but if you can't take my word for it, take him back," she stated with a nod to the guardian.

The guardian just nodded in return and kicked the young man up into the air at the Card Mistress. Lucky for Sakura, Yue jumped in and caught him. The next thing that happened started to scare everyone on the spaceship Asura. All the computers started to go haywire.

"What's going on?" yelled Chrono.

"We have been hacked, all our systems and files are being downloaded as we speak and none of our safeguards are stopping it," yelled Amy, typing as fast as she could go, but everything she did to stop it made it go faster.

Before anything could be done, it stopped and "Seal of Light" appeared on the screens of all the computers on the ship and disappeared from sight. Madison smiled and glanced at her best friend who was looking over her boyfriend. Captain Lindy felt it again, the sadness. She glanced away from the screen of her ship that the singer was on and saw she was watching the other magical girl. Something about all of this didn't make any sense at all.

"Just what is going on around here?" she asked without knowing she was about to get her answer.

"I told you before, I will not let what happened to me happen again and if I have to kill everyone of you so it doesn't happen again, I will do it; now Seal of Light, return to me and I thank you for you great help," Madison stated darkly.

The Seal of Light disappeared, along with its guardians. Madison just shook her head and glanced once more at Sakura and Lindy.

"Card Mistress, Captain Lindy, welcome to my Endless Waltz because before I'm done with your two groups, you will understand what loss feels like," she stated with sadness and disappeared with a flash of white light. Sakura glanced at where her best friend had stood.

"What happened to you, Madison?" she asked herself.

Captain Lindy looked up at the sky and knew there was something else to all of this and she had a feeling her Fate had something to do with it. "I fear this is only the beginning of what is to come," she stated to herself.

What Captain Lindy didn't know was that she was more right than anything.

Back at Madison office Nanoha started to slowly wake up. She slow opened her eyes to see her two best friends talking and smiled when they saw her looking at them. As she smiled at them she thought she saw two pairs of wings on her friends backs, but shook her head and they were gone.

"What happened?" she asked Before the two could answer, another voice started to speak.

"I would have to say that you pass out," stated a calming voice. Nanoha sat up a little and glanced to her right to see Madison just smiling at her from her desk, she looked to be reading something on her computer.

"Tell me Nanoha what do you knew about Magic?" she asked with a calming voice.

Next Time: With only hours before the dance, Madison finds out some information that doesn't make her very happy, but the information will not stop her from helping Nanoha and Fate. Will this dance bring more than it should, or will it break someone's heart? Find out next in Chapter Eight—Moonlit Night: "A kiss opens your eyes to the truth." .


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